The warden of a medium-security prison for juveniles was issued criminal summonses for three counts of official misconduct but continues to run the Pueblo facility nearly four months later.

Youthful Offender System warden Michael Anthony Romero, 47, was charged Dec. 1 with three misdemeanor counts of second-degree official misconduct

Rafael Cisneros, who works for Romero at the Youthful Offender System, also has been charged with misdemeanor counts of official misconduct in a related case.

“(Romero), a public servant, unlawfully, knowingly, arbitrarily and capriciously violated a statute or lawfully adopted rule or regulation relating to his office” between Jan. 1, 2014 and Dec. 1, 2015, according to a Pueblo County Court record.

Public officials, including police officers, who are accused of crimes often are placed on administrative leave during an investigation. But Romero and Cisneros remain on the job.

“As of right now, he is the current warden of YOS and he has not been placed on administrative leave,” Laurie Kilpatrick, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Corrections, said Wednesday. “He hasn’t been found guilty. Charges are not a conviction.”

Romero, who was leading a tour of the facility Wednesday, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The Youthful Offender System, 1300 W. 13th St., houses hundreds of inmates who were between the ages of 14 and 19 when they committed their crimes and were sentenced before age 21.

Romero continues to supervise 11 Youthful Offender System employees who are listed as witnesses in the criminal case, according to Pueblo County records.

The list of prosecution witnesses also includes Colorado Department of Corrections deputy executive director Kellie Wasko and director of prisons Steven Hager.

The charging documents indicate Romero and Cisneros were charged with violations of Department of Corrections’ regulation No. 1450-06, a five-page list of rules governing outside employment and volunteer activities of employees.

Kilpatrick said she does not know the nature of the allegations against Romero.

But, according to two other witnesses listed in court documents, they are related to allegations connected to Pueblo businesses that provided services to the Youthful Offender System.

Chad Lewin, a manager at a Fastenal store in Pueblo, said an investigator questioned him about Super Bowl tickets he allegedly gave to Romero.

“I never gave anybody Super Bowl tickets,” Lewin said. “I’ve never owned Super Bowl tickets.”

Lewin speculated that whoever spoke to the Inspector General’s agent misheard him talking about his father-in-law, Conrad Dobler, a NFL offensive guard in the 1970s. Dobler was an all-star player once identified by Sports Illustrated as the NFL’s dirtiest player.

“How they got this (tickets story) I have no idea,” Lewin said.

Lewin said the only contact he has ever had with Romero was at a tailgate party for a Colorado State University-Pueblo football game, where Romero gave him some bratwurst and a beer.

Fastenal is part of a large chain of stores that sells everything from bolts to cleaning equipment to state agencies, including the Department of Corrections and Youthful Offender Services, Lewin said.

He estimated his store sells between $50,000 and $100,000 in products at discount rates to state agencies each year. Romero never directly orders anything.

Jay Picco, part owner of Mountain West Glass, said his store fixed a cracked mirror at a gymnasium. He said Romero did not call his store.

Picco said his business didn’t charge for the repair as a courtesy gesture for an potential long-term customer. Mountain West is a new business, and Picco said he is trying to build its clientele.

One charge against Cisneros was dismissed Jan. 11. A pretrial conference for Romero and Cisneros is scheduled for April 14.

The charges

were first reported by The Pueblo Chieftain.

Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206, kmitchell@denverpost.com or @kirkmitchell or denverpost.com/coldcases