Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George will not bring criminal charges against a correctional officer at the state’s only women’s prison in South Burlington following an investigation into allegations that included illegal drug activity while on duty.
James Baker, Vermont’s interim corrections commissioner, made that announcement during a press conference Thursday in which he also said that the state is extending its contract for one year with the operator of a privately run prison in Mississippi.
George, in an email following Baker’s press conference, confirmed that she would not be filing criminal charges against Daniel Zorzi, who had worked as a shift supervisor at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington, the state’s prison for women.
George also provided a letter she had sent to Baker earlier in the day about the matter.
“As you know, we do not believe there is sufficient evidence, at this time, to prove a criminal charge beyond a reasonable doubt,” George wrote.
“If any further information is provided to the Vermont State Police,” George added, “we will review that evidence and re-evaluate the strength of our case.”
Seven Days reported late last year that male correctional officers physically and verbally harassed female inmates, including pursuing sexual relationships with women under the supervision of the state Department of Corrections.
Zorzi was promoted despite reports that he used drugs on the job and provided drugs to prisoners, according to the Seven Days article.
George wrote in her letter Thursday to Baker that the state police report documents multiple “instances of concerning behavior by Mr. Zorzi which undermine the State’s ability to rely on him as a witness going forward.”
While she was unsure of his current employment status with the corrections department, she said she wanted to “make sure it is clear that my office is unwilling to call him as a witness on behalf of the State and will not accept any criminal cases from him going forward.”
George also told Baker to add her letter to Zorzi’s personnel file so any future law enforcement agency that he might apply to will have access to the information.
Baker said he had reviewed the state police investigation and supported George’s decision to not bring criminal charges.
“In reading the report I believe that she got to the right conclusion,” he added.
Baker referred requests for the report to the state police. VtDigger submitted a public records request to the state police late Thursday afternoon.
The corrections commissioner said an outside investigation by the law firm Downs Rachlin Martin into the allegations raised in the Seven Days article regarding the misconduct and drug abuse among corrections staff remains ongoing.
In addition, the commissioner said, there is a separate internal review being conducted by the state Department of Human Resources.
Baker said Zorzi is not currently working for the corrections department and is on unpaid leave.
Attempts to reach Zorzi on Thursday for comment were not successful.
Baker, who took over as interim corrections commissioner after the Seven Days report, said the department is working to establish a code of conduct for its employees as well as making changes to the hiring process.
“That work has already started,” he said. “I think that has a big part in the cultural issues that we face in the field.”