Bob Bashara has prison guards on high alert

Bob Bashara is settling in to his new surroundings at the Oaks Correctional Facility in Manistee.

He is sharing a cell and will get a minimal amount of time outside of it. He can use his time for exercise or to study at the onsite library.

Bashara is one of almost 500 inmates being housed at the prison. The facility is state-of-the-art and equipped to handle the most violent offenders.

Bashara is familiar with the surroundings at Oaks. He spent time there after he entered a guilty plea for his role in working to have handyman Joe Gentz killed. It was at Oaks where Bashara got into trouble with guards -- first for refusing to follow orders from a guard and then for allegedly hording ketchup and sugar from the cafeteria. He was accused of stashing away the ketchup and sugar to make prison wine in his cell.

His behavior led to disciplinary action. If he gets into more trouble he could lose privileges such as having visitors. He could be moved to Jackson.

"The man sits in prison and he causes a ruckus in the prison, it's going to make it difficult for him to survive," said legal expert Todd Flood.

Local 4 is told Bashara is lawyering up as he plans to file an official appeal.


About the Author:

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.