Reported by Troy Rogers, Winnfield Kiwanian
The facility located deep in the piney woods of Winn Parish, now known as the Winn Correctional Center and currently housing about 1,400 ICE detainees, was the topic of discussion Tuesday, September 30th, as Sheriff Josh McAllister and LaSalle Corrections Warden Eleazar Garcia Jr. addressed the Winnfield Kiwanis Club. The two leaders spoke on their long-standing partnership and the facility’s operations.
Warden Garcia brings a wealth of experience to the facility, having retired from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He also worked at the Pollock Federal Prison north of Alexandria. While living in Central Louisiana, he met his wife, making the area his home.
LaSalle Corrections, an established family-owned developer and operator of correctional centers in Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Georgia, has partnered with Sheriff McAllister in Winn Parish. The company is owned by William McConnell and his son, Clay McConnell, operating through a complex structure of various limited liability companies (LLCs).
Warden Garcia emphasized that detainees are not inmates and that all essential needs are met. Services provided include health care, dental care, a picnic area for family visits, indoor and outdoor gym activities, and limited access to electronics. Detainees also have access to Immigration court services, ensuring all rights are maintained under immigration laws, most of which have been in place since the Clinton administration. Winn Parish Sheriff Josh McAllister interjected, clarifying that criminal detainees, or inmates, are sent to facilities like Camp J at Angola.
The Winn Correctional Center has a high turnover rate, with an average intake of 104 to 106 individuals and 80 to 90 detainees leaving daily. The average stay is short, at only 30 to 40 days. Detainees arrive from anywhere in the United States, often routed through the Alexandria staging facility, which functions as a major deportation hub for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The facility employs approximately 306 personnel, all of whom undergo a thorough background check. Additionally, the Winn Parish Chase Team, which provides search dogs for various law enforcement agencies in Central Louisiana, is headquartered within the facility. Under the direction of Major Chellette, the team—comprising 15 dogs and 8 Sheriff’s department members—has an impressive reputation for many apprehensions and rescues, including one child found.
The Winnfield Kiwanis thanked the Sheriff and the Warden for their dedication and the work they provide for the residents of Winn Parish.