By Andy Mannix

Minneapolis Star Tribune

The top official at one of Minnesota’s largest prisons sent sexually graphic e-mails from his official account, made inappropriate comments about a female intern and verbally abused employees, according to an internal Department of Corrections (DOC) investigation.

Steve Hammer, the warden at Stillwater prison, was fired in October for violating several departmental policies. Prison officials wouldn’t comment on specifics at the time, but a cache of documents obtained by the Star Tribune through a public data request — including e-mails, complaints and interviews with more than a dozen employees — detail the pattern of improper behavior and abuse that led to Hammer’s dismissal.

DOC placed Hammer on investigative leave in late August, and officially terminated him in October. He could not be reached for comment. Veteran DOC employee Eddie Miles has taken over as Stillwater prison warden.

In one April 2014 e-mail exchange with a female former employee, Hammer discussed his transfer from the prison in Rush City to Stillwater, where he was moved after prison officials there discovered he was having an inappropriate relationship with an employee. Hammer wrote of Stillwater prison, “I’m not happy I hate that place.” The ex-employee said she would be an “awesome secretary,” and Hammer replied, “Hmmm secretary? I’m thinking Naughty thoughts.”

He wrote several more explicit e-mails around this time to non-employees using his official account, according to the investigation. He also received a nude photo of a woman which he did not report.

In one e-mail exchange, Hammer wrote, “Mine misses you.” When the woman asked to what he was referring, he replied, “Head Heart Body Penis Not Necessarily in that order Have you been photogenic lately?”

He made other remarks in the same e-mail thread, including, “R u naked” and “Face time naked?” At one point, the woman said, “No naughty pics,” and Hammer responded, “Too bad there hot.”

In another e-mail, he suggested, “Friendship and naked pics is a good start.” When the recipient replied that naked photos would overstep the bounds of friendship, he wrote, “You miss me But got no love.”

Hammer also made several lewd comments to and regarding employees, according to the investigation.