FCI Dublin (low-security)
CLOSED: FCI Dublin was permanently closed in December 2024 following a widespread sexual abuse scandal involving staff. Ten correctional officers have been charged with sex crimes, including former warden Ray Garcia who was convicted at trial. Approximately 600 women were transferred to other federal facilities nationwide.
Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin (FCI Dublin) was a low-security United States federal prison for female inmates located in Dublin, California. It was operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Department of Justice. The facility was permanently closed in December 2024 following a years-long sexual abuse scandal and subsequent federal investigation.
Overview
FCI Dublin became an exclusively female prison in 2012 and was one of only five federal prisons for women in the United States. The facility was located approximately 35 miles east of San Francisco on the grounds of Camp Parks, a U.S. Army Reserve facility.
Prior to closure, FCI Dublin housed approximately 600 female inmates in a low-security setting with dormitory-style housing.
Notable Inmates (Historical)
Before its closure, FCI Dublin housed several high-profile inmates:
- Felicity Huffman - Actress convicted in the college admissions scandal, served 11 days in October 2019.
- Lori Loughlin - Actress convicted in the college admissions scandal, served 2 months from October to December 2020.
- Heather Mack - Convicted of murdering her mother in Bali, served time after extradition to the U.S.
- Patty Hearst - Heiress kidnapped by the SLA, served time in the 1970s (later pardoned).
Sexual Abuse Scandal and Closure
Timeline
FCI Dublin became embroiled in scandal between 2021 and 2022 when reports emerged of a permissive and toxic culture of rampant sexual abuse by staff. The facility gained a reputation for having a "rape club" that terrorized inmates, while guards retaliated against women who reported their abusers.
In January 2024, CBS's 60 Minutes aired a special titled "Agency In Crisis" focusing on conditions at FCI Dublin. Shortly after, the FBI raided the facility.
On April 15, 2024, the Bureau of Prisons announced the temporary closure of FCI Dublin, just 10 days after Wendy Still was named special master over the prison. Approximately 600 women were transferred to roughly 13 other federal prisons across the United States.
In December 2024, the Bureau of Prisons permanently closed FCI Dublin as part of a "strategic realignment," citing poor facility conditions, staffing shortages exacerbated by the high cost of living in the Bay Area, and the extensive repairs that would be needed to reopen.
Criminal Charges
As of June 2025, ten FCI Dublin correctional officers have been charged with sex crimes—the highest number at any federal facility in the country. Seven officers have been sentenced for sex crimes, and two were convicted at trial, including former warden Ray Garcia.
In April 2025, a jury deadlocked in the trial of an officer nicknamed "Dirty Dick" Smith. A retrial is scheduled for August 2025.
Settlements and Consent Decree
More than 100 former inmates have received over $100 million in settlement payouts from the federal government for the abuse they endured at FCI Dublin.
On December 6, 2024, the parties reached an unprecedented Consent Decree that will be enforced at over a dozen federal women's prisons where nearly 500 former FCI Dublin inmates are now housed. The two-year agreement mandates robust oversight and remedies for issues related to staff sexual and physical abuse, retaliation, medical care, and case work.
Future of the Facility
In February 2025, ICE officials visited the closed FCI Dublin facility to explore the possibility of converting it into an immigrant detention center.
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Location
Physical address: 5701 8th St, Camp Parks, Dublin, CA 94568
FCI Dublin was located approximately 35 miles east of San Francisco.
See also
- Index of Federal Prison Facilities
- FPC Bryan - Women's minimum-security federal prison camp in Texas
- Bureau of Prisons Classification Methods