DUBLIN — Federal officials notified Congress on Tuesday that they intend to make permanent the closure of the scandal-plagued FCI Dublin women’s prison.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the decision by the Federal Bureau of Prisons in a statement Thursday.
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The decision comes seven months after a special master assumed control of the facility after an FBI raid in March. Federal officials announced their intentions to shut down the facility a week later.
The facility saw numerous jail officers imprisoned for a reputed “rape club” at the prison, after inmates alleged years of abuse and retaliation for speaking up about the prison’s misconduct.
“Since temporarily closing FCI Dublin earlier this year, the FBOP completed a security and infrastructure assessment of the facility,” the DOJ wrote in its statement. “The assessment identified considerable repairs needed to re-open the facility. Beyond facility conditions, low staffing has been a persistent challenge. . . . Due to the high cost of living and competition from other area law enforcement agencies, the FBOP has been unable to maintain staffing levels at this facility. As the agency navigates a challenging budgetary and staffing environment, we must make incredibly difficult decisions. FCI Dublin will not re-open.”
When federal officials announced their intent to close the prison in April, the agency said it would transfer its inmates to other facilities. They added Thursday that they worked to put them within 500 miles of the facility. The sprawling Dublin complex had 501 inmates at the main prison and 104 inmates in a minimum security camp at the time.
The prison’s warden, some jail guards and a chaplain all were charged in recent years with sexually assaulting and harassing inmates. Most either pled guilty or were convicted, including former Warden Ray J. Garcia, who in early 2023 received a nearly six-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting women.
Inmate advocates filed a lawsuit in August 2023 accusing prison managers of ignoring decades of warning signs and providing insufficient physical and mental health care. That lawsuit turned into a class-action status after more than 60 other lawsuits were filed against the Bureau of Prisons.
Staff writer Nate Gartrell contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
