The United States Penitentiary, Lee (USP Lee) is a high-security United States
federal prison
A federal prison is operated under the jurisdiction of a federal government as opposed to a state or provincial body. Federal prisons are used for convicts who violated federal law (U.S., Mexico), inmates considered dangerous (Brazil), or those s ...
for male inmates in Virginia. It is operated by the
Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice that is responsible for the care, custody, and control of incarcerated individuals who have committed federal crimes; that i ...
, a division of the
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United State ...
. The facility also has an adjacent satellite prison camp which houses minimum-security male offenders.
USP Lee is located in the Lee County Industrial Park an
unincorporated area
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
in
Lee County, Virginia
Lee County is the westernmost county in the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,173. Its county seat is Jonesville.
History
The area of far western Virginia and eastern Kentucky supported large Archai ...
, in the southwest part of the state. The prison is located off of
U.S. Route 58 at the intersection of Route 638, near
Pennington Gap and east of
Jonesville.
History
The annual
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
of Lee County was $12,917 in the early 1990s, making the Virginia area a prime candidate to host a
federal prison
A federal prison is operated under the jurisdiction of a federal government as opposed to a state or provincial body. Federal prisons are used for convicts who violated federal law (U.S., Mexico), inmates considered dangerous (Brazil), or those s ...
and bring money into the community.
Architectural and construction work of the facility was administered by Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern, now known as
AECOM
AECOM (, ; formerly AECOM Technology Corporation) is an American multinational infrastructure consulting firm.
AECOM has approximately 51,000 employees, and is number 157 on the 2019 Fortune 500 list.
The company's official name from 1990 t ...
.
Computer modeling
Computer simulation is the process of mathematical modelling, performed on a computer, which is designed to predict the behaviour of, or the outcome of, a real-world or physical system. The reliability of some mathematical models can be deter ...
was utilized to identify and minimize blindspots of prison
watchtower
A watchtower or watch tower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to ...
s. Construction began in the summer of 1998 on a budget of $102 million. The penitentiary was completed in August 2001 and began receiving inmates in 2002. According to project manager Gary Carsten of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the main recurring problem of the facility is the excessive strain on Lee County's
sewage system
Sewerage (or sewage system) is the infrastructure that conveys sewage or surface runoff (stormwater, meltwater, rainwater) using sewers. It encompasses components such as receiving drains, manholes, pumping stations, storm overflows, and screeni ...
.
Archaeological
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
discoveries on the prison property include arrowheads and pottery from a
Native American gravesite believed to be associated with an ancient hospital dating as far back as 10,000 years.
Notable incidents
On February 25, 2008, inmate
Edward Porta
Edward Porta (born November 13, 1954) is an Argentinian former textile trader who was based in the area of Spartanburg, South Carolina. He pleaded guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Department of Agriculture of more than ...
was noted to be missing during a 4 p.m. count after apparently walking away from the minimum security camp.
Porta defrauded the
U.S. Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...
of more than $400,000. He remained a fugitive for over eight years until he was recaptured in May 2016, and was profiled on the television program ''
America's Most Wanted
''America's Most Wanted'' (often abbreviated as ''AMW'') is an American television program whose first run was produced by 20th Television, and second run is under the Fox Alternative Entertainment division of Fox Corporation. At the time of i ...
''.
There have been incidents of violence at USP Lee and several homicides. Inmate Quinten Corniel was killed on September 30, 2008, and inmate Ernest Bennett died on January 22, 2010, both during altercations with other inmates.
On April 29, 2010, Filikisi Hafoka, a member of the Tongan Crip Gang, was taken off
life support
Life support comprises the treatments and techniques performed in an emergency in order to support life after the failure of one or more vital organs. Healthcare providers and emergency medical technicians are generally certified to perform basic ...
after being stabbed on the previous weekend.
As is procedure, USP Lee went into
lockdown
A lockdown is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks (such as COVID-19) that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely.
The term is used for a prison ...
after these incidents and investigations were conducted. The killers of Corniel and Bennett were subsequently convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Notable inmates (current and former)
Organized crime
Other crimes
See also
* List of U.S. federal prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons classifies prisons into seven categories:
* United States penitentiaries
* Federal correctional institutions
* Private correctional institutions
* Federal prison camps
* Administrative facilities
* Federal correctio ...
* Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice that is responsible for the care, custody, and control of incarcerated individuals who have committed federal crimes; that i ...
* Incarceration in the United States
Incarceration in the United States is a primary form of punishment and rehabilitation for the commission of felony and other offenses. The United States has the largest prison population in the world, and the highest per-capita incarceratio ...
References
External links
USP Lee
at the Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Justice that is responsible for the care, custody, and control of incarcerated individuals who have committed federal crimes; that i ...
(Official site)
{{Federal Bureau of Prisons
2002 establishments in Virginia
Archaeological sites in Virginia This is a listing of sites of archaeological interest in the state of Virginia, in the United States.
{{Commons cat, Archaeological sites in Virginia
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlant ...
Prisons in Virginia
Buildings and structures in Lee County, Virginia
United States Penitentiaries