The chicken alfredo is too pricey for one upstate inmate, who claims the cost of food behind bars in Orange County is criminal.
David H. McWillis is so outraged at the $3.75 cost of the Italian specialty that he’s making a federal case out of it.
“There is a price-gouging situation going on” at the Orange County facility, McWillis claims in a Manhattan federal court lawsuit against the jail and the food-service company Aramark.
McWillis, 54, has been cooling his heels at the Goshen, NY, jail on a grand-larceny charge since April 10. His case is pending, court officials said.
The jailbird, who is acting as his own lawyer, isn’t pleased with paying $4.94 for protein bars, $3.69 for Geisha tuna, $2.05 for orange soda and $3.61 for Big Haus summer sausage.
“Inmates and their families cannot afford the price of the commissary items,” said McWillis.
“Other state prison commissary price lists are much cheaper, [have] more variety and better quality than the stuff served at the Orange County Jail,” he said.
The irritated inmate, who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, also isn’t pleased with the jail allegedly charging a $15 “shipping fee” for food kept in an on-site storage room.
McWillis is seeking $300,000 in damages from Aramark for the alleged “price gouging,” and $100,000 from the Orange County Jail “for allowing it.”
“I want access to better variety of food at lower prices,” he wrote.
Orange County Jail declined comment. Aramark did not return messages.