Ghislaine Maxwell’s move to a minimum-security federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas, has rattled the facility’s otherwise quiet environment, allegedly raising concerns about safety, fairness, and the unusual circumstances surrounding her transfer.
The 63-year-old female, convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking minors in connection with Jeffrey Epstein, as previously reported by DX, was relocated earlier this month from a low-security prison in Florida to a prison camp in Bryan, Texas.
The decision has drawn national attention, in part, because federal prison camps typically house non-violent offenders, often women serving shorter sentences for white-collar crimes. In contrast, Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking children, in one of the most viral criminal cases in human history, with more than a decade left before her projected release.
Maxwell’s presence has already created unease inside the camp, according to people familiar with the facility. Inmates were reportedly instructed to be cautious about discussing Maxwell, and at least one woman who voiced frustration about the transfer has since been removed from the prison and reassigned elsewhere.
“She’s not making any friends. Radioactive,” Sam Mangel, a prison consultant who works in Bryan, told CNN.
“Nobody’s going to rock the boat there. They want to serve the remainder of their sentences with whatever modicum of comfort Bryan provides,” Mangel added.
Life at Bryan is less restrictive than at traditional correctional institutions. Prisoners live in dormitory-style units and may have access to programs like nursing assistant training or the opportunity to participate in service-dog training classes. However, restrictions on sex offenders mean Maxwell will apparently not be eligible for many of these privileges, including the popular puppy training program run in partnership with Canine Companions.
An inmate at Bryan who called Maxwell’s transfer “disgusting” was removed from the dog training program and later relocated to a federal detention center in Houston, according to her attorney and prison records.
“Every inmate I’ve heard from is upset she’s here. This facility is supposed to house non-violent offenders. Human Trafficking is a violent crime.” Inmate Julie Howell told The Telegraph, before she was removed.
“Nobody’s going to say anything about Ghislaine Maxwell now, are you kidding?” Howell’s lawyer, Patrick McLain, later told reporters.
Beyond inmate concerns, Maxwell’s transfer has caught the eye of politicians and prison officials around the country.
Federal prison policy typically does not allow sex offenders with long sentences to be placed in camps. However, her move followed meetings with top Justice Department officials, fueling further speculation on Capitol Hill.
Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse has formally requested more information from the Bureau of Prisons on the transfer, though no explanation has yet been offered as of the time of publication.
Maxwell’s attorney has said she was moved for her own safety, citing prior “risks” she faced in Florida.
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