Albion, PA – John Sawtelle, superintendent of the State Correctional Institution at Albion, reported that 25-year-old inmate Andy Ortiz was discovered unresponsive in his cell on October 29, 2025. Prison staff immediately responded and administered life-saving measures until facility medical personnel arrived. Life-sustaining efforts continued until external EMS personnel took over. Ortiz was pronounced dead at 12:18 a.m.
Ortiz was convicted of Unlawful Contact with a Minor - Sexual Offenses [18.6318.a1] in Philadelphia County and admitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections at SCI Phoenix on June 27, 2022. He has been housed at SCI Albion since February 19, 2025.
Pursuant to state policy, the Pennsylvania State Police have been notified and will conduct an investigation. The official cause of death will be determined by the Erie County Coroner’s Office.
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