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USP Big Sandy Inmate Search and Prison Information

Updated on: March 5, 2024
USP Big Sandy

USP Big Sandy - General Information

Facility Name: USP Big Sandy
Facility Type: Federal Prison
Address: 1197 AIRPORT ROAD INEZ, KY, 41224
Phone: 606-433-2400
Email: BSY/[email protected]
Capacity: 1278
Date Established: 2003
Offender Gender: Male Offenders
Security Level: USP – High, Camp – Minimum
BOP Region: Mid-Atlantic Region
Judicial District: Eastern District of Kentucky
City: Inez
Postal Code: 41224
State: Kentucky
County: Martin
Official Website: https://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/bsy/

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.

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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

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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

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.

Email

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:

Here is the point schedule for visitations:

FCI

LSCI

USP

Visiting Hours

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM;8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM;8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Holiday 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM;8:30 AM - 3:00 PM

The visiting starts in first in, first out type of fashion. No new visitors will be allowed in 45 minutes before the end of the visit day. 45 minutes before the end of the visit day officers start escorting those who were first in out of the visitor room.

Directions

Refer the map below to find the driving directions

Prison Life

The prisoners over in the satellite camp are required to work in the main campus. They can be assigned kitchen duty, laundry duty, facility maintenance and much more.

The housing is dormitory style. Each prisoner shares a cell with another fellow prisoner.

The USP Big Sandy provides their inmates with a wide variety of programs and services. Their programs and services include but not limited to the following:

  • Medical Services
  • Psychology Services
  • Residential Drug Abuse Program
  • Alcoholics Anonymous
  • Narcotics Anonymous
  • Drug Education
  • Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program
  • GED Prep
  • English-as-a-Second Language Program
  • Parent Program
  • Advanced Occupational Education
  • Library Services
  • UNICOR
  • Commissary
  • Recreational Program.

Nearby Jail/Prison

Correctional Facility Name Type County
Martin County Jail, Kentucky 9.46 miles County Jail Martin County
Prestonsburg City Jail, Kentucky 9.63 miles City Jail Floyd County
Floyd County Detention Center, Kentucky 10.03 miles County Jail Floyd County
Pikeville City Jail, Kentucky 21.31 miles City Jail Pike County
Pike County Detention Center, Kentucky 21.32 miles County Jail Pike County
Williamson City Jail, West Virginia 22.13 miles City Jail Mingo County
Lawrence County Correctional, Kentucky 23.14 miles County Jail Lawrence County
Fort Gay City Jail, West Virginia 24.15 miles City Jail Wayne County
Knott County Jail, Kentucky 32.88 miles County Jail Knott County
Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex, Kentucky 33.32 miles State Prison Morgan County
Little Sandy Correctional Complex, Kentucky 34.36 miles State Prison Elliott County
Morgan County Jail, Kentucky 34.94 miles County Jail Morgan County
West Liberty City Jail, Kentucky 35.08 miles City Jail Morgan County

Other Types of Correctional Facilities in Kentucky