Official: Dixon prison warden will 'be hard to replace'

DIXON – Although Nedra Chandler has retired as warden of Dixon Correctional Center, the Illinois Department of Corrections continues to investigate the cause of her being placed on administrative leave last month.

Meanwhile, a state official who asked not to be named called Chandler a good worker.

"She did a good job there," said the official, who is not in a position authorized to speak on the Chandler matter. "She's going to be hard to replace."

For now, Chandler is being replaced by two assistant wardens, Leonta Jackson and LaShona Cameron, said Tom Shaer, IDOC spokesman. He said David Gomez, deputy director of the northern district, is working closely with them.

"We have over 50 assistant wardens in the system right now, and have an excellent track record for promoting from within," Shaer said. "We develop wardens among assistant warden ranks, and most wardens are appointed from within the assistant warden ranks – not all, but most."

Shaer said it won't take very long, likely a few weeks, before an acting warden is named. But then, because of procedural processes, there would be a bit of a delay before a new warden is officially appointed at Dixon.

Shaer still won't say what the investigation of Chandler is about. When asked, he did say there are protocols for any time an IDOC employee comes into contact with a person of interest to the department.

"Any contact with a known felon or anything that might be of interest to this department is to be reported and detailed in writing," Shaer said.

Chandler had been housing a registered sex offender, Robert L. Swon, at her Sterling home since shortly after he was released from prison. Swon had served 1 year of a 2-year sentence stemming from his failure to register as a sex offender.

He was arrested on child pornography charges at Chandler's home on Sept. 19, the same day she was escorted off of prison grounds and was placed on administrative leave.

Attempts to contact Chandler have been unsuccessful.

Swon faces four charges of possession of child pornography in which the children depicted were under the age of 13, and one charge for failing to comply with part of the rules sex offenders must follow. One of those rules forbids sex offenders from operating a Facebook page, something Swon had been doing since April, authorities say.

Sterling Police Detective Mike Henry, who handled Swon's case, said he had been told during the investigation that Swon was one of Chandler's former foster children, although he could not confirm that. When asked by Sauk Valley Media, the Department of Children and Family Services also would not confirm that.

Chandler, 53, began her career at the Dixon prison 29 years ago. She had been warden since 2005.

Swon is in Whiteside County Jail on a $100,0000 bond.