FCI Edgefield (minimum-security camp)
FCI Edgefield is a minimum-security satellite camp for men in Edgefield, South Carolina, operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It held about 513 people as of November 2025. The institution's main number is 803-637-1500.
Location
Physical location: EDGEFIELD, SC 29824
Mailing address: 501 GARY HILL ROAD, EDGEFIELD, SC 29824
Visitation
There are many specific rules and procedures to be aware of when you're considering visiting the institution. Read more on our Visitation Guide.
For full, current visiting rules and scheduling, always check the institution's official page on the Bureau of Prisons website: Official BOP Page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does FCI Edgefield allow conjugal visits?
No. FCI Edgefield does not allow conjugal visits. The Federal Bureau of Prisons does not permit conjugal visits at any facility regardless of security level. This includes all minimum-security federal prison camps, low-security FCIs, medium-security facilities, and high-security USPs. Only four state prison systems (California, Connecticut, New York, and Washington) allow conjugal visits for state prisoners. Federal inmates have no access to conjugal or extended family visits anywhere in the BOP system.
Q: What types of visitation are allowed at FCI Edgefield?
FCI Edgefield allows contact visits during designated visiting hours, typically on weekends and holidays. Contact visits permit brief embraces at the start and end of visits, but prolonged physical contact is not allowed. All visits occur in supervised visiting rooms. Visitors must be pre-approved through a background check process and must follow dress code requirements. For full details, see the Visiting Policies and Procedures page.
Daily life and programs
The Federal Correctional Institution, Edgefield sits at 501 Gary Hill Road in Edgefield County, South Carolina, roughly 25 to 27 miles north of Augusta, Georgia. The complex became operational in 1998 and pairs a medium-security main institution for male inmates with an adjacent minimum-security satellite prison camp, also for men. The camp is a distinct, less restrictive unit run alongside the main prison. Published population figures vary by source and fluctuate over time, but the camp has been reported holding on the order of 310 to 560 men, while the total Edgefield complex houses roughly 1,700 people. Camp residents typically carry lower security point scores, shorter remaining sentences, and non-violent or white-collar convictions, which is why the camp operates with far more freedom of movement than the fenced medium-security compound next to it.
Daily life at the Edgefield camp reflects standard federal minimum-security norms, offering a comparatively relaxed environment with less of the lockdown structure found on the medium side. In contrast to the multi-occupant cells of the main institution, men are housed in dormitory-style quarters configured as two-person pods. The facility provides a variety of recreational activities, featuring indoor options like table games, arts and crafts, and musical instruments, as well as outdoor sports such as softball, basketball, volleyball, and soccer. Commissary shopping takes place Monday through Thursday and remains subject to the standard federal monthly spending limit. Additionally, visitation mirrors the main facility's schedule, occurring on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m.
A defining programmatic distinction is that the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) is offered at the Edgefield camp rather than at the medium-security main institution. This program serves as the Bureau of Prisons' intensive residential treatment track that can carry sentence-reduction eligibility. Both the camp and the main prison also provide Drug Education and the Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program. Education offerings at the camp include GED instruction, English-as-a-Second-Language, literacy, and Adult Continuing Education. Vocational and occupational training spans Culinary Arts, ServSafe food-safety certification, and General Services Automotive Technician, with Forklift Operator training noted as a camp-specific offering.
Work assignments differ meaningfully between the two units. While UNICOR (Federal Prison Industries) operates a textile and clothing manufacturing plant at the main Edgefield institution, the camp does not house a UNICOR factory. Camp labor centers instead on institutional operations, food service, facilities, landscaping, and details that support the wider complex, which is consistent with the camp's role as the low-security labor pool. Because the camp draws minimum-security, low-point-score men, its resident profile skews toward non-violent and white-collar offenders. Understanding this division in security levels is essential for maintaining an accurate record of who has been held where at Edgefield. High-profile drug-trafficking, terrorism, and violent-offense figures associated with the Edgefield name were held at the medium-security main institution, not the minimum-security camp.
Notable inmates
| Name | Sentence | Offense | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Zahn[1] | 48 months (4 years); self-reported January 27, 2025 | Conspiracy to embezzle federal property and wire fraud (JEA municipal-utility bonus scheme, Jacksonville, FL) | 2025-present |
References
- ↑ "Aaron Zahn". '. Retrieved 2026-07-07.