United States federal prison in Arizona
The
United States Penitentiary, Tucson
(
USP Tucson
) is a high-security United States
federal prison
for male inmates in Arizona. It is part of the
Tucson Federal Correctional Complex
(FCC Tucson) and is operated by the
Federal Bureau of Prisons
, a division of the
United States Department of Justice
. The facility also has a satellite prison camp for minimum-security male offenders.
USP Tucson is located within Tucson's city limits, 10 miles (16 km) southeast of downtown
Tucson
.
[2]
History
[
edit
]
The Federal Bureau of Prisons drafted a report on March 28, 2001 naming Tucson as an ideal site for a new federal prison housing either 1,100 medium security or 1,000 high security inmates. A hearing was arranged the following May.
[3]
Construction was completed in 2005 at a cost of about $100 million, but additional preparations took over a year before inmates could be received. The 584,000-square-foot (54,300 m
2
) facility is situated on a 640-acre (2.6 km
2
) property and designed for 1,500 inmates, though officials had at one time planned to limit the population to around 960. The minimum-security work camp provides labor for day-to-day operations of the federal prison complex. It has been described as "its own little city" by Josias Salazar, executive assistant of the prison complex. The opening of the penitentiary on February 5, 2007 worsened a local shortage of prison officers and was cited by residents for adding to the street traffic generated by the various prison facilities.
[1]
[4]
Sex Offender Management Program
[
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]
USP Tucson is one of several federal prisons that offers a Sex Offender Management Program (SOMP) and therefore has a higher proportion of sex offenders in its general population. Having a larger number of sex offenders at SOMP facilities ensures that inmates feel safe about participating in treatment. USP Tucson offers a Non-Residential Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP-NR), which is a moderate intensity program designed for low to moderate risk sexual offenders. Many of the inmates in the SOTP-NR are first-time offenders serving a sentence for an Internet sex crime. All SOMP institutions offer the SOTP-NR. Eligible
inmates are transferred to a SOMP facility based on their treatment needs and security level. USP Tucson houses several high-profile sex offenders.
[5]
Notable incidents
[
edit
]
The penitentiary went into
lockdown
on May 28, 2009 after several inmates were hospitalized from fights involving improvised weapons.
[6]
Another inmate, Joseph William Nichols, was sentenced to 33 more months after being caught on August 12, 2009 with a concealed plastic
shank
that had been fashioned from his prison chair. A search of the kitchen where Nichols had been assigned resulted in the discovery of hidden
contraband
packages containing weapons and
drug paraphernalia
.
[7]
Media coverage
[
edit
]
In July 2010, a
San Diego CityBeat
reporter
mailed
former congressman
Randy "Duke" Cunningham
to inquire about his time at the prison's work camp halfway into his 100-month sentence for
tax evasion
,
conspiracy
to commit
bribery
,
mail fraud
and
wire fraud
.
[8]
[9]
Cunningham, who has become an advocate of
prison reform
,
[10]
responded in a handwritten
letter
that he spends his days there teaching fellow inmates to obtain their
GED
. He wrote: "[Too] many students have severe learning disabilities from either drugs or genetic[s]. During the past 4 years only one of my students was unable to graduate?I taught him life skills, using a calculator to add, subtract, [multiply and divide]. This way he could at least balance a check book."
[8]
Notable inmates (current and former)
[
edit
]
- Inmates who were released from custody prior to 1982 are not listed on the Bureau of Prisons website.
High-profile
[
edit
]
Inmate Name
|
Register Number
|
Photo
|
Status
|
Details
|
Brian David Mitchell
|
15815-081
|
|
Now at
USP Terre Haute
|
Pedophile
and former street preacher; convicted in 2010 of interstate
kidnapping
and sentenced to life imprisonment for
unlawful transportation of a minor across state lines
in connection with the 2002 abduction of
Elizabeth Smart
; accomplice Wanda Barzee was sentenced to 15 years.
[11]
|
Gregory Stephen
|
17502-029
|
|
Serving a 180-year sentence, scheduled for release in August 2171
|
Sentenced to 180 years for secretly collecting pictures of 440 boys and molested more than a dozen boys between 1999 and 2018. He secretly recorded three boys between the ages of 12 and 14 naked in a hotel room.
[12]
Release date scheduled to be in August 1, 2171.
|
Steven Dale Green
|
20848-058
|
|
Committed suicide on February 15, 2014, while serving a life sentence
[13]
|
Former
U.S. Army
Private
and war criminal; convicted in 2009 of
first degree murder
,
aggravated sexual abuse
, and other charges for raping 14-year-old Abeer Qassim al-Janabi near Mahmoudiya, Iraq and then killing her and her family in
Afghanistan
in 2006.
[14]
[15]
|
Toby MacFarlane
|
74173-298
|
|
Served 6-month sentence and released on April 21, 2020
|
Charged with connection to the
2019 college admissions bribery scandal
.
[16]
|
Buster Hernandez
|
76731-097
|
|
Serving a 75-year sentence, schedule for release in 2080
|
Charged with child pornography and extortion
|
Larry Nassar
|
21504-040
|
|
Transferred to
FCI Lewisburg
.
|
Former
USA Gymnastics
team physician, convicted on federal charges relating to the possession of thousands of items of
child pornography
.
[17]
|
Jamil Addullah al-Amin
|
99974-555
|
|
Serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole
|
Black Power activist. Convicted of murder in Georgia.
|
Keith Raniere
|
57005-177
|
|
Serving a 120-year sentence, scheduled for release in 2120
|
Founder of the
NXIVM
cult, convicted in 2019 for 2 counts of sex trafficking, racketeering, forced labor conspiracy, attempted sex trafficking, and wire fraud conspiracy.
[18]
[19]
[20]
|
Esteban Santiago-Ruiz
|
15500-104
|
|
Serving five life sentences plus 120 years.
|
Convicted in 2018 for the Fort Lauderdale airport shooting.
[21]
[22]
|
Political figures
[
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]
Terrorists
[
edit
]
Inmate Name
|
Register Number
|
Photo
|
Status
|
Details
|
Jaan Laaman
|
10372-016
|
|
Released from
USP McCreary
in May 2021
|
Member of the
United Freedom Front
, a
Marxist
group which carried out robberies and bombings at corporate and governments facilities in the 1970s and early 1980s; convicted in 1985 for his involvement in 10 bombings and attempted bombings in New York.
[27]
|
Organized crime figures
[
edit
]
Inmate Name
|
Register Number
|
Photo
|
Status
|
Details
|
William Pickard
|
82687-011
|
|
Sentenced to serve two life sentences. Released on July 27, 2020 after serving 17 years.
|
Former Deputy Director of the Drug Policy Analysis Program at the
University of California, Los Angeles
; convicted in 2003 of conspiracy to produce and distribute the drug
LSD
; Pickard was allegedly the largest supplier of LSD in the United States at the time of his arrest.
[28]
[29]
|
Whitey Bulger
|
02182-748
|
|
Served life sentences plus 5 years under his real name, James J. Bulger.
[30]
Murdered in 2018 upon arrival at
USP Hazelton
.
|
Former leader of the
Winter Hill Gang
in Massachusetts and
FBI Ten Most Wanted
fugitive; apprehended in 2011 after 16 years on the run; convicted in 2013 of ordering 11 murders, as well as
extortion
,
money laundering
and
drug trafficking
. Transferred in October 2018 to the Federal Transfer Center and then to
USP Hazelton
, where he was murdered less than 24 hours after arrival.
[31]
[32]
[33]
|
Anthony Casso
|
16802-050
|
|
Died in custody on December 15, 2020 while serving a 455 year sentence in prison
[34]
|
After Casso's arrest in 1993, he agreed to turn informant in 1994. However, in 1998, Casso was thrown out of the witness protection program after prosecutors alleged numerous infractions, in 1997, including bribing guards, assaulting other inmates and making "false statements" about Gravano and D'Arco. Shortly afterward, Judge Block sentenced Casso to 455 years in prison without possibility of parole?the maximum sentence permitted under sentencing guidelines.
[35]
[36]
|
Louis Eppolito
|
04596-748
|
|
Died in custody on November 3, 2019 while serving a life sentence
|
Former
NYPD
detective; convicted in 2006 of carrying out murders and sharing law enforcement intelligence disclosing the identities of witnesses for the
Lucchese Crime Family
; his partner, Stephen Caracappa, was also sentenced to life.
[37]
|
Ross Ulbricht
|
18870-111
|
|
Serving 2 life sentences + 40 years without the possibility of parole
|
Convicted in 2015 for operating
Silk Road marketplace
web site and drug trafficking.
|
Craig Petties
|
82553-179
|
|
Serving nine life sentences.
|
Pleaded guilty to 19 charges related to his role as the ringleader of one of the largest drug trafficking organizations ever prosecuted in West Tennessee.
[38]
|
Others
[
edit
]
Inmate Name
|
Register Number
|
Photo
|
Status
|
Details
|
Edward Oedewaldt
|
14701-035
|
|
Now at
FCI Petersburg
|
Arrested during
the largest child pornography prosecution in US history
; pleaded guilty in 2011 to being the
system administrator
of
Dreamboard
, a website whose members produced and traded images and videos of adults molesting children.
[39]
|
Ryan Patrick Lane
|
13107-049
|
|
Now at
FCI Terre Haute
|
Convicted for robbing the
TD Bank
in
Hampton, New Hampshire
, on April 14, 2013; the Rockland Trust Bank in
Hingham, Massachusetts
, on March 29, 2013; and the Braintree Cooperative Bank in
Quincy, Massachusetts
, on April 25, 2013. In each instance, Lane entered the bank and handed the teller a note demanding money and, in the Hampton robbery, threatened to kill the teller if she pushed any alarms. Lane fled the banks on foot after committing the robberies. Transferred to another prison after assaulting
Larry Nassar
[40]
|
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
Dale Quinn (February 2, 2007).
"Guard drain strains Tucson prisons"
.
Arizona Daily Star
. Retrieved
August 17,
2010
.
- ^
"USP Tucson"
. Federal Bureau of Prisons.
- ^
"Hearing on new federal prison"
.
Arizona Daily Star
. May 1, 2001
. Retrieved
August 17,
2010
.
- ^
Tim Ellis (December 28, 2006).
"Federal prison nearly ready"
.
Arizona Daily Star
. Retrieved
August 17,
2010
.
- ^
"Admissions and Orientation Handbook: Federal Correctional Complex, Tucson"
(PDF)
. Federal Bureau of Prisons. 2012
. Retrieved
9 November
2013
.
- ^
Alexis Huicochea (May 29, 2009).
"Tucson federal prison remains on lockdown after inmate fights"
.
Arizona Daily Star
. Retrieved
August 17,
2010
.
- ^
"Federal prison inmate in Tucson gets more time"
.
KGUN-TV
.
Associated Press
. October 22, 2009
. Retrieved
August 17,
2010
.
[
permanent dead link
]
- ^
a
b
Dave Maass (August 11, 2010).
"From Tucson with love"
.
San Diego CityBeat
. Archived from
the original
on August 14, 2010
. Retrieved
August 17,
2010
.
- ^
"Plea Agreement by Randy "Duke" Cunningham and the U.S. Attorney"
. 2005
. Retrieved
2005-12-05
.
- ^
Jesse Zwick (August 11, 2010).
"Randy "Duke" Cunningham: Prison Reform Advocate"
.
The Washington Independent
. Archived from
the original
on August 29, 2010
. Retrieved
August 25,
2010
.
- ^
"Mitchell Sentenced to Life in Prison in Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping Case"
(PDF)
. Justice.gtov. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 2011-05-29
. Retrieved
2012-11-06
.
- ^
Stephen, Gregory (May 2, 2019).
"Ex-AAU Coach Greg Stephen Sentenced to 180 Years in Prison on Sex Charges"
. Retrieved
June 5,
2021
.
- ^
Almasy, Steve (February 18, 2014).
"Former soldier at center of murder of Iraqi family dies after suicide attempt"
. CNN
. Retrieved
15 March
2014
.
- ^
Dao, James (2009-05-21).
"Ex-Soldier Gets Life Sentence for Iraq Murders"
.
The New York Times
. Iraq
. Retrieved
2012-11-06
.
- ^
Bright, Evan (May 8, 2009).
"Private Green Guilty On All Counts"
. Huffingtonpost.com
. Retrieved
2012-11-06
.
- ^
"Inmate Locator"
.
- ^
"Lawrence Nassar Sentenced To 60 Years In Federal Prison"
. United States Department of Justice. December 7, 2017
. Retrieved
January 23,
2018
.
Lawrence Gerard Nassar, 54, of Holt, Michigan...
- ^
"NXIVM Cult Leader Sentenced To 120 Years In Prison"
.
- ^
"NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Raniere sentenced to 120 years in prison"
.
- ^
"Keith Raniere, founder of cult-like group NXIVM, sentenced to 120 years in prison"
.
- ^
"Gunman who killed 5 at Fort Lauderdale airport is sentenced to life in prison"
.
- ^
"Airport gunman sentenced to five life terms, 120 years"
.
- ^
Chen, Sharon (June 4, 2013).
"Randy 'Duke' Cunningham released from prison"
. Tribune Broadcasting Company
. Retrieved
11 January
2014
.
- ^
"Ex-congressman begins prison sentence - US news - Crime & courts | NBC News"
. NBC News
. Retrieved
2012-11-06
.
- ^
Von Zielbauer, Paul (March 26, 2003).
"Ex-Mayor Convicted in Sex Abuse Case"
.
The New York Times
.
- ^
iSite Interactive Limited (2009-08-06).
"CNMI former Lieutenant governor gets 7 years in prison"
. Islands Business
. Retrieved
2012-11-06
.
- ^
Wald, Matthew L. (1987-05-22).
"U.S. To Try Eight On A Rare Charge, Plotting To Overthrow The Government - New York Times"
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
2012-11-06
.
- ^
Silverstein, Stuart (2003-04-04).
"Ex-UCLA Chemist Guilty in LSD Case - Los Angeles Times"
. Articles.latimes.com
. Retrieved
2012-11-06
.
- ^
"Drug Law Reporter: 10th Circuit Affirms Pickard's LSD Life Sentence"
. Rgbspecialprojects.blogspot.com. 2006-03-29
. Retrieved
2012-11-06
.
- ^
"Bulger Sentenced to Two Life Terms"
. Federal Bureau of Investigation. November 14, 2013
. Retrieved
11 December
2013
.
- ^
"James "Whitey" Bulger moved to Oklahoma prison"
. 25 October 2018.
- ^
Deborah Feyerick; Kristina Sgueglia (August 13, 2013).
"High life brought low: Jury finds 'Whitey' Bulger guilty in killings, racketeering"
. CNN
. Retrieved
11 December
2013
.
- ^
Seelye, Katharine (August 12, 2013).
"Bulger Guilty in Gangland Crimes, Including Murder"
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
11 December
2013
.
- ^
"Inmate Death at USP Tucson"
(PDF)
. bop.gov. December 16, 2020.
- ^
Raab, Selwyn (July 1, 1998).
"Plea Deal Rescinded, Informer May Face Life"
.
The New York Times
– via nytimes.com.
- ^
"Mafia Informer's 2nd Appeal Says His Plea Deal Was Undercut"
.
The New York Times
. November 23, 2000.
- ^
Feuer, Alan (2009-03-09).
"Louis J. Eppolito News - The New York Times"
. Topics.nytimes.com
. Retrieved
2012-11-06
.
- ^
"Drug Trafficking Ringleader Craig Petties Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison"
. 19 March 2015.
- ^
"EIGHT MORE DEFENDANTS SENTENCED IN INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL NETWORK ORGANIZED TO SEXUALLY EXPLOIT CHILDREN"
(PDF)
. US Department of Justice. August 3, 2012.
- ^
"Local Bank Robber From Charlestown Sent Letter Bragging About Assaulting Larry Nassar In Prison"
. 25 September 2018.
External links
[
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]
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History
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Education
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Transportation
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Landmarks
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This list is incomplete.
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Administrative
facilities
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Correctional
complexes
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Correctional
institutions
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Penitentiaries
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Prison camps
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Private facilities
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Related
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† indicates closed facility
|
While imprisoned, Pickard authored the acclaimed memoir "The Rose Of Paracelsus: On Secrets and Sacraments"
http://www.createspace.com/5377339