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New warden appointed Clarinda Correctional Facility

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October 2nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

New leaders were appointed today (Friday) for three of the state’s correctional facilities. The Iowa Board of Corrections today (on Friday) approved the appointment of Sheryl Dahm as Warden of the Clarinda Correctional Facility. She has spent more than two decades counseling prison inmates with substance abuse and mental health issues. The Clarinda facility houses around 800 offenders.

Iowa DOC Director Jerry Bartruff said “Many of those offenders are what we would classify as offenders with special needs…primarily defined as persons with some significant mental health issues or intellectual disabilities.” Dahm fills the vacancy created in Clarinda when Kris Weitzell) was appointed Warden of the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility.

Bartruff recommended William Sperfslage take over as Warden of the Anamosa State Penitentiary, where he got his start 36 years ago. The Anamosa State Pen houses up to 1,000 of the state’s “high risk” offenders, many of whom committed violent crimes. Sperfslage has served as acting warden of the facility for 6 months following the retirement of John Fayram.

Another longtime employee of the Iowa Department of Corrections is now the Warden of the Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility. Jay Nelson was appointed to that position today (Friday).Nelson has worked in the office of Offender Services since 2013. Nelson is filling the vacancy created by the retirement of former Mount Pleasant Warden Ron Mullen.

(Radio Iowa)