WARREN — A state government employee has confirmed what the state Department of Corrections office declined to comment on before noon Thursday, that Maine State Prison Warden Patricia Barnhart had been terminated.

Barnhart was hired to replace Warden Jeff Merrill in 2009. She was previously acting warden of the Thumb Correctional Facility at the Michigan Department of Corrections.

Reached by phone earlier this afternoon, MDOC Associate Commissioner Jody Breton said the agency had no comment about the then-rumors that Barnhart had been escorted out of the prison facility in Warren around 11:30 a.m.

When asked to either confirm or deny the information that Barnhart had been terminated, Breton said, "The Department has no comment."

Asked when the DOC would be ready to let the public know if the warden was in fact still on the job or not, Breton said, "Right now, I have to have no comment on that."

According to another source, DOC Commissioner Joseph Ponte has been at the prison today, meeting with staff.

A call to Gov. Paul LePage's office for official word on Barnhart's status and the reason for her termination has not been returned.

Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards can be reached by email at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com or by calling 207-706-6655.