USP Tucson (high-security)
United States Penitentiary, Tucson (USP Tucson) is a high-security federal prison for male inmates in Tucson, Arizona. The Federal Bureau of Prisons runs it. It is the only high-security federal penitentiary in Arizona. The penitentiary anchors the Tucson Federal Correctional Complex, which also includes an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp.[1]
The penitentiary opened on February 5, 2007. It sits about 10 miles southeast of downtown Tucson. USP Tucson runs a Sex Offender Management Program, and a large share of its population is incarcerated for sex offenses. The site has held several high-profile inmates, among them NXIVM founder Keith Raniere and Silk Road operator Ross Ulbricht. In November 2022 an inmate at the camp obtained a firearm and tried to shoot a visitor.[2][3]
Overview
USP Tucson is classified high-security. High-security penitentiaries use secured perimeters, close staff supervision, and tight control over inmate movement. Housing is cellblock-style.[1]
The institution opened in 2007 about 10 miles southeast of downtown Tucson, off Interstate 10 near Wilmot Road. It was designed to hold roughly 1,500 inmates. As of September 2023, the penitentiary held 1,308 inmates, with another 118 at the adjacent camp, for a complex total of 1,426.[2]
The penitentiary and its camp together form the Tucson Federal Correctional Complex. The camp is minimum-security and houses men separately from the main penitentiary.[1]
Sex Offender Management Program
USP Tucson is one of a small number of federal prisons that operate a Sex Offender Management Program, known as SOMP. SOMP institutions hold a higher concentration of inmates convicted of sexual offenses and provide treatment programming for that population. The Bureau of Prisons groups these inmates at designated sites in part to support participation in treatment.[1][2]
USP Tucson is the only facility in the federal system that is both high-security and SOMP-designated. That combination is part of why it has received men convicted in several widely covered sex-crime cases.[4]
History and Incidents
The penitentiary received its first inmates after opening in February 2007.[2]
On November 13, 2022, an inmate at the minimum-security camp obtained a firearm during a visit and tried to shoot a female visitor. The weapon misfired and the visitor was not hurt. Staff restrained the inmate and seized the gun, and federal officials opened an investigation. How a firearm reached the visiting area at a federal facility drew scrutiny of security practices at the complex.[3]
After the incident, the Bureau of Prisons placed inmates at the camp on an extended lockdown while it investigated. Reporting on the aftermath described prisoners confined to cells for most of each day for weeks.[5]
Notable Inmates
- Keith Raniere was transferred to USP Tucson in January 2021. He is serving a 120-year sentence following his conviction for sex trafficking, racketeering, and related charges connected to the group NXIVM.[6][4]
- Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics team physician, was held at USP Tucson. In May 2018, within hours of entering general population, he was assaulted by another inmate. He was later moved to a federal prison in Florida, where he was stabbed in July 2023.[7][2]
- Ross Ulbricht, who operated the Silk Road online marketplace, served part of his sentence at USP Tucson. He received a presidential pardon in January 2025.[2]
Location and Visitation
USP Tucson is at 9300 S Wilmot Rd, Tucson, AZ 85756, about 10 miles southeast of downtown Tucson.[1]
The institution's main phone number is 520-663-5000.[1]
Visiting rules, approved-visitor procedures, and scheduling change over time and are set by the institution. Confirm current details on the official Bureau of Prisons page before traveling: Official BOP Page. General guidance is also covered in the Prisonpedia Visitation Guide.[1]
See also
- Index of Federal Prison Facilities
- USP Tucson (minimum-security camp)
- Bureau of Prisons Classification Methods
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "USP Tucson". Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "United States Penitentiary, Tucson". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Federal inmate tried to shoot visitor at Tucson prison camp".Prendergast, Curt.Arizona Public Media.2022-11-14.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "NXIVM Leader Keith Raniere Transferred To Arizona Prison Known For Housing Sex Offenders". Oxygen. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
- ↑ "Tucson Federal Prison Camp Prisoners On Lock Down Months After Attempted Shooting". Prisonology. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
- ↑ "Leader of New York sex cult transferred to federal prison in Tucson".Arizona Daily Star.2021-01-22.Retrieved 2026-06-03.
- ↑ "Source: Larry Nassar stabbed multiple times at federal prison".ESPN.2023-07-10.Retrieved 2026-06-03.