“You don’t like it, it’s not your mommy or your daddy fixing your meal. It’s jail. Sheriff defends nauseating ‘warden burger’ fed to inmates
An Ohio sheriff is defending the controversial “warden burger” served to inmates in solitary confinement after three Democratic lawmakers criticized conditions at the Butler County Jail.
Ohio Reps. Christine Cockley and Mark Sigrist, along with state Sen. William DeMora, published a letter on Jan. 6 calling on the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to investigate the jail. The letter cited what the lawmakers described as “documented evidence of dangerous and deteriorating conditions,” including overcrowding, food service issues, and heating problems.
Much of the criticism focused on the jail’s “warden burger,” a fiber-heavy patty served to inmates in solitary confinement. Made from tomato paste, flour, dry milk, oats, beans, ground turkey, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and onions, the mixture is formed into a patty and placed between slices of white bread.
Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones responded in a Facebook video, calling the lawmakers “the Three Stooges” and dismissing their concerns as “the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Jones defended the burger, noting it is dietician-approved and “probably the most nutritious meal we serve.” He added, “Fiber’s good for you. A lot of people struggle to get fiber.”
The sheriff also addressed other complaints from the letter, assuring that any heating issues would be resolved. He said the jail is currently about 200 inmates under capacity. An August report from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections—cited in the Democrats’ letter—showed 805 inmates were in the facility, 49 over the recommended capacity but 39 under the prison’s maximum housing limit.
The same report found that the jail violated state standards requiring inmates to receive consistent meals unless health or safety concerns dictate otherwise.
Jones dismissed the Democrats’ criticism as politically motivated, claiming, “They’re probably whining and crying because I have illegals in my jail. I have 400 illegals in my jail. Don’t come to this country illegally. If you do, sorry, you’re gonna come to jail.”
The lawmakers are calling for an unannounced state inspection of Butler County Jail and want the department to investigate why immigrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement are held with the general inmate population.
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