Texas Prison Camp Where Ghislaine Maxwell Was Moved Steps Up Security

The national situation campy successful cardinal Texas wherever Ghislaine Maxwell was transferred to past week has accrued information measures successful consequence to her arrival, according to a elder rule enforcement official.

While nan charismatic attributes nan enhanced information to Maxwell’s presence, they could not opportunity if location person been immoderate nonstop threats to her, different inmates aliases Federal Prison Camp Bryan itself.

Members of nan national Bureau of Prisons’ Special Operations Response Team person been positioned extracurricular nan beforehand entranceway to FPC Bryan since nan play to cheque IDs and activity group through, 2 existent labor told NBC News.

They opportunity it’s an unfamiliar show astatine nan all-women, minimum-security campy wherever unit and visitors tin mostly participate nan grounds without going done rigorous information protocol, nan labor said. The camp, which houses astir 635 prisoners and is group successful a residential neighborhood, has wrought-iron fencing retired beforehand arsenic good arsenic chain-link fencing astir nan perimeter.

The information is “not for illustration ones astatine nan penitentiary aliases mean [security],” 1 employee, who asked not to beryllium named for fearfulness of occupation reprisal, told NBC News past week.

Members of nan typical operations squad are highly trained to respond to disturbances and information breaches astatine national prisons and are deputized by nan U.S. Marshals Service. They were deployed to anti-police brutality protests during nan first Trump administration, and astir recently, helped successful nan response to nan deadly July 4 flooding successful Texas Hill Country.

A BOP spokesperson did not instantly respond to requests astir nan accrued information astatine FPC Bryan and whether it is connected to Maxwell, who was transferred from a low-security installation successful Tallahassee, Florida, to FPC Bryan overnight Friday.

Ghislaine Maxwell has been transferred from a national situation successful Florida to Federal Prison Camp Bryan successful cardinal Texas.Brandon Bell / Getty Images

Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, besides didn’t instantly respond to a petition for remark Wednesday. Markus has besides not responded to erstwhile questions astir Maxwell’s information and specifications surrounding her transfer.

Maxwell, 63, is serving a 20-year situation condemnation for her domiciled successful recruiting and trafficking minors for activity arsenic a co-conspirator and confidant to wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein. In 2019, Epstein killed himself successful a Manhattan jailhouse compartment while facing charges of activity trafficking and conspiracy.

But his lawsuit has travel nether renewed scrutiny successful caller weeks aft nan Trump management decided not to merchandise each national files related to Epstein, prompting outcry from parts of nan president’s base who person fueled conspiracies and pushed unfounded narratives surrounding Epstein’s death.

Maxwell, too, returned to nan spotlight erstwhile it was revealed that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche met pinch her past period for 9 hours complete 2 days successful a national courthouse successful Tallahassee.

A root acquainted pinch nan matter told NBC News connected Tuesday that nan Trump management is considering releasing a transcript from nan interview.

But it remains unclear arsenic to why Maxwell, conscionable days aft nan gathering pinch nan Department of Justice’s second-in-command, was transferred to FPC Bryan, wherever labor opportunity inmates are granted much freedoms successful dormitory-style lodging successful which inmates’ rooms aren’t locked and they tin roam outdoor and recreational spaces.

Trump told reporters Tuesday that he was unaware that Maxwell had been moved to nan Texas campy until aft it occurred, and that transfers for illustration Maxwell’s were common.

But nan BOP’s ain argumentation indicates Maxwell should beryllium ineligible to beryllium housed astatine a minimum-security situation campy because she is simply a convicted activity offender.

Sex offenders must beryllium successful astatine slightest a low-level information situation for illustration nan 1 Maxwell was housed successful previously, unless a waiver is granted by nan administrator of nan BOP’s Designation and Sentence Computation Center.

Maxwell’s beingness astatine FPC Bryan has stoked outrage among immoderate existent and erstwhile BOP labor who are questioning why she would beryllium placed location fixed her activity discourtesy charges and nan level of information she would require. The mostly of inmates astatine nan campy are serving clip for nonviolent offenses and white-collar crimes.

The family of Epstein maltreatment subsister Virginia Giuffre, joined by Epstein and Maxwell accusers Annie and Maria Farmer, person besides criticized Maxwell’s move and said successful a connection that “she should ne'er beryllium shown immoderate leniency” arsenic a convicted activity trafficker.

Charles Lockett, a erstwhile national situation prison guard who spent 31 years pinch nan BOP, said he would person ne'er approved nan transportation of specified a high-profile inmate to a spot for illustration FPC Bryan.

Lockett said he’d beryllium particularly concerned astir nan information risks posed to Maxwell arsenic good arsenic those who activity there.

“They don’t person nan manpower location to woody pinch specified people, and they don’t person nan hardened structure,” said Lockett, who oversaw nan Florida situation wherever Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger was held anterior to his doomed transportation to a installation successful West Virginia. “I conscionable find it unbelievable.”