 | |
 Interactive map of Federal Correctional Institution, Marion | |
| Location | Southern Precinct,[1]Williamson County, nearMarion, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°39′47″N88°59′3″W / 37.66306°N 88.98417°W /37.66306; -88.98417 |
| Status | Operational |
| Security class | Medium-security (with minimum-security prison camp) |
| Population | 1,298 [1,117 at the USP, 181 in prison camp] (September 2023) |
| Opened | 1963 |
| Managed by | Federal Bureau of Prisons |
| Warden | Daniel Sproul |
| Website | Official website |
TheFederal Correctional Institution, Marion (FCI Marion) is a largemedium-security United Statesfederal prison for male inmates in Southern Precinct,[1]unincorporatedWilliamson County, Illinois.[2][3] It is operated by theFederal Bureau of Prisons, a division of theUnited States Department of Justice. The facility also has an adjacent satellite prison camp that housesminimum security male offenders.
FCI Marion inSouthern Illinois is approximately 9 miles (14 km) south of the city ofMarion, Illinois, 300 miles (480 km) south ofChicago, and 120 miles (190 km) southeast ofSt. Louis, Missouri.[4]
FCI Marion was built and opened in 1963 asUnited States Penitentiary, Marion (USP Marion), to replacethe maximum security federal prison onAlcatraz Island in San Francisco, which closed the same year.[5] OnMay 16, 2025, a tornado hit the Penitentiary but no injuries were reported on site.[6]
The first escape from USP Marion was on July 21, 1971, when Warren George Briggs leapt over two 15-foot (4.6 m) fences and escaped to Kansas City, Missouri, via Interstate 57. Four days later, Warren turned himself in to the FBI. He reportedly did this so he could draw attention to his invention, a waterdesalination process.[7][8]
On October 10, 1975, five inmates used an illegal homemade electronic device to open the front gates of the prison. One of them had been an electrician and was assigned to work on the lock mechanisms of all of the doors in the main corridors. He also converted a radio into a remote control, with which he opened all of the doors. The five escapees were all eventually captured and returned to prison, the last one being apprehended in Canada on October 31, 1975.
Two escape attempts occurred in 1978 involving the same inmate,Garrett Brock Trapnell. On May 24, 1978, Trapnell's friend, 43-year-old Barbara Ann Oswald, hijacked a St. Louis based charter helicopter and ordered the pilot, Allen Barklage, to fly to USP Marion. Barklage complied, but he wrestled the gun away from Oswald and fatally shot her while he was landing in the prison yard, thwarting the escape. On December 21, 1978, Oswald's 17-year-old daughter, Robin Oswald, hijackedTWA Flight 541, which was en route fromLouisville International Airport toKansas City International Airport and threatened to detonate dynamite strapped to her body if the pilot did not fly toWilliamson County Regional Airport, located only miles from USP Marion. When the pilot landed at the airport in Marion, hundreds ofcops showed up, Robin Oswald surrendered toF.B.I. negotiators at the Williamson airport without incident about ten hours later. The dynamite was later found to be fake.[9][10]
The last escape from the maximum-security prison area was on February 14, 1979, when Lawrence Caldwell, Albert Garza and Howard Zumberge climbed both exterior fences in a dense fog; Caldwell was caught before he could clear the first of the two fences.[11] Both Garza and Zumberge were apprehended three days later near Cypress, hiding in a church basement. During the capture of the escapees, Garza shot Johnson County Sheriff Elry Faulkner in the chest at almost point-blank range; Faulkner, however, was wearing a ballistic vest and only suffered minor bruises. Garza was shot and wounded, but survived and returned to Marion two months later.[12][13]
On October 22, 1983, correctional officersClutts and Hoffmann were killed in separate incidents only hours apart, both at the hands of members of theAryan Brotherhood, a white-supremacist prison gang. Officer Clutts was stabbed to death byThomas Silverstein.[14][15] While walking down a hall accompanied by Clutts, Silverstein was able to turn to the side and approach a particular cell. The prisoner in that cell subsequently unlocked Silverstein's handcuffs with a stolen key and provided him with a knife.[15] Later that same morning, Officer Hoffmann was stabbed to death byClayton Fountain, after Hoffmann had pulled Fountain off another officer who was being attacked.[16]
As a result of the murders of Clutts and Hoffmann, USP Marion went into "permanent lockdown" with all inmates locked in their cells for the majority of the day.[17] USP Marion was effectively transformed into a "control unit" prison, also calledsupermax, or "super-maximum" security. This method of prison operation involves the keeping of inmates insolitary confinement for 23 hours a day, and does not allow communal dining, exercising, or religious services.
Years later,Norman Carlson, director of the Bureau of Prisons at the time of the Marion incident, said that as draconian as the permanent lockdown was, he believed it the only way to deal with "a very small subset of the inmate population who show absolutely no concern for human life." He pointed out that the two inmates who killed the guards were already serving multiple life sentences, so adding another would have had no effect. The "control unit" model at Marion was later the basis forADX Florence, which opened in 1994 as a specifically designed supermax prison.[18]
In 2006, USP Marion's designation was changed to a medium security prison and major renovations were made. The renovations increased Marion's inmate population from 383 to 901.[19]
In 2024, USP Marion was renamed to FCI Marion.[20]
Although the facility no longer operates as a "supermax" facility, FCI Marion is now home to one of two "Communication Management Units" in the federal prison system. The other is at theFederal Correctional Complex, Terre Haute, Indiana. TheFederal Bureau of Prisons created theCommunication Management Unit (CMU) in response to criticism that it had not been adequately monitoring the communications of prisoners. "By concentrating resources in this fashion, it will greatly enhance the agency's capabilities for language translation, content analysis and intelligence sharing," according to the Bureau's summary of the CMU.[21][22] In aDemocracy Now! interview on June 25, 2009, animal rights activistAndrew Stepanian talked about being jailed at the CMU. Stepanian is believed to be the first prisoner released from a CMU.[23]
† Inmates who were released from custody prior to 1982 are not listed on the Federal Bureau of Prisons website.
†† TheSentencing Reform Act of 1984 eliminatedparole for most federal inmates. Inmates sentenced for offenses committed prior to 1987 are eligible for parole consideration.[24]
Foreign citizens who committed or attempted terrorist attacks against United States citizens and interests.
| Inmate Name | Register Number | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Saleh | 34853-054 | 9999-99-99Served a 35-year sentence, released on September 1, 2023. | Al-Qaeda operatives and followers ofSheikhOmar Abdel Rahman; convicted in 1996 ofseditious conspiracy and other charges for their involvement in the foiledNYC landmark bomb plot.[25] |
| Clement Hampton-El | 34854-054 | Died in 2014 while serving a 35-year sentence. | |
| Mohammed A. Salameh | 34338-054 | Serving a 86-year and 11-month sentence. | Palestinian terrorist, convicted perpetrator of the1993 World Trade Center bombing. |
| Mohamed Rashed Daoud Al-Owhali | 42371-054 | Serving a life sentence. Transferred toADX Florence. | Al-Qaeda operative; convicted ofmurder,conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to use aweapon of mass destruction, in relation to his role in the1998 United States embassy bombings inNairobi,Kenya. Sentenced to life in prison in 2001.[26][27] |
| Iyman Faris | 46680-083Archived September 20, 2012, at theWayback Machine | Served a 20-year sentence; released on August 18, 2020. | Al-Qaeda operative; pleaded guilty in 2003 to terrorism conspiracy for researching potential targets, including theBrooklyn Bridge in New York City, and obtaining equipment to be used in attacks at the behest ofAl-Qaeda leaderOsama bin Laden.[28] |
| Omar Rezaq | 20267-016 | Serving a life sentence; eligible for release in 2023.†† | Follower of the militantPalestinian leaderAbu Nidal and the sole surviving hijacker ofEgyptAir Flight 648; 58 people were killed during the 1985 hijacking; Rezaq was convicted ofair piracy in 1996.[29] |
| Abdul Murad | 37437-054[permanent dead link] | Serving a life sentence. Transferred toUSP Terre Haute | Al-Qaeda operative; convicted in 1996 ofconspiracy in connection with planningProject Bojinka, a foiled plot conceived by seniorAl-Qaeda memberKhalid Sheikh Mohammed to bomb twelve planes over the Pacific Ocean in a 48-hour period.[30][31] |
| Dritan Duka | 61285-066 | Serving life plus 30 years. Transferred toFCI Terre Haute. | One of the six men that conspired to attack an Army Base inFort Dix, New Jersey. His brothersEljvir Duka andShain Duka are being heldUSP Hazelton andADX Florence, respectively. |
American citizens who committed or attempted terrorist attacks against United States citizens and interests.
| Inmate Name | Register Number | Photo | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Schaeffer Cox | 16179-006 | Transferred to RRM Seattle. Serving a 25-year and ten-month sentence; scheduled for release on September 6, 2024. | Leader of the Alaska Peacekeepers Militia; convicted in 2012 of murderconspiracy for plotting the murders of judges and law enforcement agents; two co-defendants were also sentenced to prison.[32][33][34][35] | |
| Michael Finton | 17031-026 | Transferred toFCI Bennettsville. Serving a 28-year sentence; scheduled for release on January 11, 2034. | Follower of the late militant clericAnwar Al-Awlaki; pleaded guilty in 2011 to attempted use of aweapon of mass destruction for plotting to destroy a federal building in Illinois with a truck bomb in 2009.[36][37] | |
| Carlos Almonte | 61800-050 |  | Transferred toFCI Fairton. Serving a 20-year sentence; scheduled for release on June 20, 2027. | Pleaded guilty toconspiracy to murder persons outside the US, and for attempting to joinAl Shabaab, a terrorist group based in Somalia; co-conspirator Mohamed Alessa was sentenced to 22 years.[38][39] |
| Alexis Candelario Santana | 34421-069 | Transferred toMDC Guaynabo. Serving a life sentence. | Convicted in 2013 for the2009 Sabana Seca massacre | |
| Richard Scutari | 34840-080Archived December 12, 2012, atarchive.today | Transferred toFCI Mendota. Serving a 60-year sentence; scheduled for release on June 26, 2025. | Former member of the white supremacist groupThe Order. Convicted in 1987 of conspiracy, racketeering, and robbery. | |
| Cesar Altieri Sayoc | 17781-104Archived December 12, 2012, atarchive.today |  | Transferred toFCI Butner Medium II. Serving a 20-year sentence, scheduled for release on November 10, 2035. | Pleaded guilty to mailing explosive devices to critics ofUS President Donald Trump. These included leadingDemocratic Party politicians such as former U.S. PresidentBarack Obama, former U.S. Vice PresidentJoe Biden, and former U.S. Secretary of StateHillary Clinton. One package was addressed only toCNN and sent to itsworld headquarters. |
| Kaleb James Cole | 13964-579 | Serving a seven-year sentence; scheduled for release on June 17, 2025. | The FBI had sought an Extreme Risk Protection Order against Cole and seized his cache of weapons which included five assault rifles, a shotgun and pistols in October 2019. According to the FBI Cole had also acquired separate parts needed to manufacture untraceable AR-15s. Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes told the media they "firmly believe, prevented a massacre". Cole was sentenced for conspiring to threaten Jews, black people and journalists in Washington and two other states.[40][41] | |
| Zachary Adam Chesser | 76715-083 |  | Transferred toADX Florence and then toUSP Hazelton. Serving a 25-year sentence; scheduled for release on January 1, 2032. | Convicted in 2010 for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization by aidingAl-Shabaab, a militant group with ties toAl-Qaeda. He was also convicted for desensitizing law enforcement by ordering people to plant fake explosive devices. Chesser was also convicted for sending threats (viaRevolution Muslim website) toTrey Parker andMatt Stone, creators ofSouth Park, after they airedan episode of the show withdepictions of Muhammad. |
| Matthew F. Hale | 15177-424 | Serving a 40-year sentence; scheduled for release in 2036. Previously atADX Florence. | Neo-Nazi who was convicted in attempting to solicit the murder of federal judgeJoan Humphrey Lefkow.[42] |
| Inmate Name | Register Number | Photo | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Gotti† | 18261-053[permanent dead link] | _2(b).jpg) | Deceased. Died in 2002 while serving a life sentence. | Boss of theGambino crime family in New York City from 1985 to 1992; convicted of murder,murder conspiracy,loansharking,illegal gambling,obstruction of justice,bribery, andtax evasion in 1992. |
| William Daddano, Sr.† | Unlisted | Deceased. Died in 1975 while serving a 15-year sentence. | Toploan shark andenforcer for theChicago Mafia; convicted in 1964 ofconspiracy to commit bank robbery.[43] | |
| Thomas Silverstein | 14634-116Archived September 19, 2012, at theWayback Machine |  | Deceased. Served most of his life sentence atADX Florence and died on May 11, 2019 due to complications from heart surgery. | Aryan Brotherhoodprison gang leader (considered one of the most dangerous inmates in the federal prison system); transferred to ADX after murdering Correction Officer Merle Clutts atUSP Marion in 1983 while serving a sentence for bank robbery. The murder of two correctional officers in 1983 was the impetus for creating the "super-max" prison classification.[44] |
| Nicodemo Scarfo | 09813-050 |  | Transferred to theFCI Butner Medium, a medium-security facility; was serving a 55-year sentence; was scheduled for release in 2033 but died at Butner on 17 January 2017 at age 87.[45][46][47] | Former boss of theBruno crime family in Philadelphia;[48] he was convicted on multiple counts of murder, attempted murder, distribution of methamphetamine, andextortion.[49] |
| Viktor Bout | 91641-054 |  | Served a 25-year sentence; released on December 12, 2022in a prisoner exchange withRussia forBrittney Griner. | Russianarms dealer; convicted in 2011 of conspiring to kill Americans and supplyinganti-aircraft missiles and other weapons toFARC, aMarxist group on theU.S. State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.[50] |
| Gerard Ouimette | 02519-070 | Served sentence in the mid-20th-century. Died on April 19, 2015. | Associate of thePatriarca crime family from Providence, Rhode Island | |
| Monzer al-Kassar | 61111-054 | Transferred toUSP Florence High. Serving a 30-year sentence; scheduled for release on December 28, 2032. | In 2009, sentenced to 30 years in prison for conspiring to sell weapons to Colombian rebels. | |
| Carlos Lehder | 91641-054 |  | Transferred to another prison. Released from prison 16 June 2020, after more than 33 years and 4 months in captivity. | Colombiandruglord; convicted in 1987 of conspiring to send cocaine to USA. Life imprisonment plus 135 years; commuted to 55 years in prison after testifying againstManuel Noriega. |
| Inmate Name | Register Number | Photo | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pete Rose | 01832-061 |  | Released from custody in 1991 after serving five months at the minimum-security camp. | Major League Baseball player and record holder for career hits; convicted offiling false tax returns in 1990.[52] |
| Michael Rudkin | 17133-014 | Beaten to death while incarcerated atUSP Terre Haute | Former correction officer atFCI Danbury inConnecticut; sentenced to prison in 2008 for having sex with an inmate; convicted in 2010 of trying to hire ahitman to kill the inmate, his ex-wife, his ex-wife's boyfriend and a federal agent while incarcerated atUSP Coleman in Florida.[53][54] | |
| Christopher Cantwell | 00991-509 |  | Served a three-year sentence; released on December 19, 2022 | White Supremacist known as the Crying Nazi, convicted in 2021 for threatening a man if he didn't give him information about a rival group.[55] |
| Andrew Stepanian | 26399-050 | Released from custody in 2009 after serving a two-year sentence. | Member ofStop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, which aims to shut down an animal testing laboratory run byHuntingdon Life Sciences; convicted of using the Internet toincite violence against company executives.[56] | |
| Garrett Brock Trapnell | 72021-158 | Deceased; died of natural causes in 1993 while serving a life sentence. | Convicted in 1973 ofair piracy for hijacking TWA Flight 2 and threatening to ram the plane into the terminal ofJFK Airport unless he received a ransom.[57][58] | |
| Matthew F. Hale | 15177-424 | Serving a 40-year sentence; scheduled for release on April 2, 2037. | Neo-Nazi leader of theWorld Church of the Creator. Convicted in 2005 for soliciting an undercover FBI informant to kill federal judgeJoan Humphrey Lefkow after she ruled against him in a copyright case and ordered the name of his church to be changed. He was transferred into USP Marion fromADX Florence in July 2020. | |
| Robert Lee Willie | 02724-010 | Executed inLouisiana on December 28, 1984. | Serial killer; pleaded guilty along with Joseph Jesse Vaccaro in 1980 to kidnapping a young couple in Louisiana, repeatedly raping the female victim. The two were also convicted of an unrelated state murder charge. Willie was executed in 1984 and Vaccaro was sentenced to life in prison. | |
| Walter Bond | 37096-013 | Not in BOP custody. Scheduled for release on March 26, 2024.[59] | Sentenced to serve 60 months (five years) in federal prison for use of fire to destroy Sheepskin Factory in 2011. After the fire, Bond posted a message on the Internet taking responsibility for the Sheepskin Factory fire. At the end of that message he used the nickname "ALF Lone Wolf." In 2011 he was sentenced to another 87 months for additional attacks to be served consecutively.[60] | |
| Daron D. Wint | 64292-007 | Serving four life sentences. | Perpetrator of the2015 Washington, D.C., quadruple murder incident. | |
| Daniel Hale | 26069-075 | Released on July 5, 2024 | Sentenced to 45 months in prison in July 2021 after pleading guilty to retaining and transmitting national defense information after disclosing information about the United States'drone warfare program and theterrorist watch list.[61] Transferred to the CMU at Marion in October 2021. |
United States Penitentiary Marion
United States Penitentiary Marion
4500 PRISON ROAD MARION, IL 62959
