Ex-Racine Correctional worker sentenced for sex assault, misconduct

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Jacqueline Heidt

STURTEVANT, Wis. - A former Wisconsin Department of Corrections supervisor accused of having an inappropriate relationship with an inmate has now been sentenced to prison. 

Jacqueline Heidt

In Court:

Court records show 40-year-old Jacqueline Heidt was sentenced to 18 months in prison. She was further sentenced to two years of extended supervision and two years of probation.

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Heidt pleaded no contest to misdemeanor fourth-degree sexual assault and guilty to two counts each of misconduct in office and delivering illegal articles to an inmate. Prosecutors dismissed all other charges against her – including more than a dozen counts of second-degree sexual assault by correctional staff.

Racine Correctional Institution (RCI)

Investigation

The backstory:

Heidt, a licensed social worker in the state since 2010, worked as a corrections program supervisor at Racine Correctional Institution in Sturtevant in 2022.

According to a criminal complaint, a Racine County Sheriff's Office investigator was made aware of an alleged inappropriate relationship between Heidt and the inmate in August 2022. The inmate said he and Heidt had sex in her office three to four times a week since April of that year.

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Heidt was accused of "not only having sexual intercourse with an RCI inmate...but also providing him with contraband," according to court filings.

The complaint said the contraband was a cellphone found with the inmate when he was "suffering from an apparent drug overdose." The phone contained "alleged nude photos of Heidt" as well as text conversations between Heidt and the inmate. An investigator was also advised that "the DOC had recorded conversations between Heidt and (the inmate) from the prison phone system that appeared to be sexual in nature."

Racine Correctional Institution

When investigators questioned the inmate about the contact with Heidt, court filings said he was able to identify a birthmark on Heidt's body. The inmate was also able to describe images sent to him allegedly from Heidt and describe features of Heidt's house.

What they're saying:

Investigators questioned Heidt, and she initially denied all allegations against her. However, the complaint said when she was confronted with evidence from the inmate's cellphone, her "demeanor changed and Heidt stopped answering questions."

Investigators searched Heidt's van. Court filings said they found a cellphone with the phone number provided by (the inmate) that was "also the same make and model as the phone provided to (the inmate) at RCI."