Use this website for informational purposes only.
USP Big Sandy is commonly known as United States Penitentiary, Big Sandy. The prison is a high-security prison located in Kentucky. It is operated and managed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The prison also has a satellite camp on the premise too. It is home to minimum-security male prisons.
USP Big Sandy is commonly known for being home to many high-profile prisoners such as Vincent Basciano and Charles McArther Emmanuel for instance. The prison typically houses many people who were charged with crimes in Washington D.C. The reason behind this is in 1997 the National Capital of Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act passed. This act allowed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to gain custody of DC felons.
In 2013, nearly 33% of the prison’s population were from DC. The remainder of the inmates are sent to USP Big Sandy because they have been charged with violent crimes and serving out longer sentences.
USP Big Sandy can hold up to 1,322 male prisoners total. The main campus can house 1,253 male prisoners, and the satellite camp can hold up to 69 male prisoners.
The facility is situated on 306 acres. The facility only really uses about 26 acres. The main campus has fences surround the perimeter topped with razor wire. The facility has a few armed observation towers, electronic detection systems, and roving patrol.
We have given below important need to know information such as how to find someone at USP Big Sandy, how to send money, mail, care packages and visit an inmate.
How to Find Someone in USP Big Sandy
USP Big Sandy is a federal prison. The easiest way to lookup an inmate in federal prisons is going to the BOP website. They have a database where you can search all federal inmates.
Sending a Mail/Care Package
Inmates can receive mail. To send mail to the main prison, you will need to use the following address:
Inmate Name and Registration Number
USP Big Sandy
U.S. Penitentiary
P.O. Box 2068
Inez, KY 41224
To send mail to the satellite camp, you will need to use the following address:
Inmate Name and Registration Number
USP Big Sandy
Satellite Prison Camp
P.O. Box 2068
Inez, KY 41224
Sending Money
You can put money into your inmate's commissary account by Western Union or MoneyGram. Each option you can do online or in person.
You will need to the following information
- Inmate Name
- Register Number (inmate number)
- City (always will be FBOP)
- State (always will be DC)
If you can’t get down to either Western Union or MoneyGram, you can send money directly to their PO box. That information is:
INMATE NAME & REGISTER NUMBER
P.O. Box 474702
Des Moines, Iowa 50947
Do NOT send money to an inmate using the USP Big Sandy address. All funds sent through the mail must be addressed to a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa. This applies to all Federal inmates, regardless of where they are incarcerated.
The last way to stay in touch with an inmate at USP Big Sandy is through email. Email is also through Trulincs.
The email program is funded by the inmate trust fund, which is kept up with purchases from the commissary, the telephone service, and fees paid directly to Trulincs.
Emails are monitored and screened for content not suitable for them.
Admissions and Orientation Handbook
Your first day in prison, you are bombarded with a ton of information. One booklet you will be giving is the Admissions and Orientation (A&O) Handbook.
This handbook will supply you with general information about the prison itself alongside the prison’s rules, programs, and regulations you will have to follow while you are serving out your sentence.
It will be in your best interest to familiarize yourself with handbook as it is your responsibility to transition smoothly to prison life.
Commissary
The commissary was founded in 1930 by the Department of Justice. The Commissary was placed in all Federal Institutions.
The commissary allows inmates to shop for “luxury” items while they are in prison. Funds are typically deposited by their friends, families, and their prison jobs.
Inmates have a spending limit of $360 per month. The commissary is only open on a designated day of the week where they can utilize the shop.
All federal prisons have their commissary list with prices available to the public.
Legal Activities
Even when in prison, you may still need legal counsel. There are strict procedures one will have to follow to obtain legal reference materials alongside their legal counsel.
There are also many opportunities to be taken advantage of to afford the proposal of legal documents when behind bars.
All procedures for legal activities can be located here.
Visitation
To visit an inmate serving time in the USP Big Sandy, you first must be put on their approved list.
When an inmate first comes to the USP Big Sandy, they fill out a visitor form. When they complete their share, a form is mailed off to those individuals who were listed on the visitor form and send it back to the facility. The facility may call and request more background information, if needed.
Inmates can receive visitors on Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal Holidays from the hours of 8:30am to 3pm. Visitors must be on the inmates approved list before being permitted on the premises. A maximum of 3 adults can visit at once. Children are not included in this total.
Dress Code
When visiting the facility, please dress appropriately. No miniskirts, halter tops, or other clothes not suitable for a job interview. If such clothing is worn, you will be denied visitation.
How Often Can I Visit?
This will depend on what rank the inmate is. There are three ranks:
- LSCI – 12 points
- FCI – 5 points
- USP – 9 points
Here is the point schedule for visitations:
FCI
- Each visit is one point regardless of the day.
LSCI
- 2 points for weekend visits
- 2 points for federal holidays visits
- 1 point for weekday visits
USP
- 2 points for weekend visits
- 0 points for federal holiday visits
- 1 point for weekday visits.
Suggest Edit
This site is not owned or operated by any state government agency, read more.
