A disrespectful Instagram account frequently humiliated female prison employees at the Federal Correctional Complex in Lompoc, making fun of their post-pregnancy bodies.
The posts made jokes about suicide, including one with a “Training Day” meme: “When you cut an inmate down, they have to be your slave in the afterlife.”
Another post featured a meme of Jeffrey Epstein with the words “Don’t leave me hanging this Valentine’s Day.” The meme, posted shortly after Epstein’s suicide in federal custody, was dedicated to the “SHU Crew” — referring to the Special Housing Unit, where incarcerated individuals are isolated and self-harm rates are high.
Posts like these were common on the “8_and_hitthe_gate” account — a name that refers to an unofficial motto among correctional officers. These posts were created by a prison supervisor at FCC Lompoc, on California’s Central Coast, who is still employed by the federal Bureau of Prisons.
A former facility psychologist, Lindsay Okonowsky, who was targeted by the account, is suing the BOP, alleging a hostile work environment that prison officials neglected to address. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will review the case today, following a district court ruling against Okonowsky last year.
The judge ruled that the posts were offensive and degrading, but the behavior of the prison lieutenant did not meet the threshold to establish a hostile work environment claim.
The court also determined that BOP officials took appropriate remedial actions through an investigative and disciplinary process, albeit a lengthy one.
With federal prisons facing overcrowding and chronic understaffing, this case raises concerns about how BOP treats its employees, particularly guards who publicly ridicule inmates compared to medical staff who prioritize the well-being of inmates.
In February 2020, Okonowsky discovered the “8_and_hitthe_gate” account while browsing Instagram. At that time, she worked as a staff psychologist at FCC Lompoc. During a subsequent investigation, Lt. Steven Hellman admitted to owning and managing the account.
Hellman claimed that all posts were meant as satire for Correctional Officers’ entertainment, not psychologists. He still works for BOP and is now a deputy captain at a medium-security facility in Victorville, California.
Okonowsky reported the Instagram account to her superiors, highlighting the potential public relations issues it posed for FCC Lompoc and BOP, especially following Epstein’s suicide. However, some officials dismissed her concerns, with the human resources manager even finding the memes “funny.”
After submitting multiple reports, Okonowsky’s complaints led to a “threat assessment team” being convened by the prison warden to investigate. The team found that Hellman’s actions constituted bullying and potentially other misconduct, though not workplace violence.
Hellman was instructed to cease posting content that violated agency policy, but he continued posting sexist material aimed at the FCC Lompoc psychology department for nearly a month before closing the account in May 2020.
Okonowsky filed a lawsuit against BOP in federal court in 2021. This week, the 9th Circuit will determine whether her claims of a hostile work environment due to Hellman’s Instagram account should proceed to a jury.
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