FCI Gilmer (medium-security)
FCI Gilmer is a medium-security federal correctional institution for men in Glenville, West Virginia, operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It held about 1,198 people as of November 2025. It does not offer the Residential Drug Abuse Program. The institution's main number is 304-626-2500.
Location
Physical location: GLENVILLE, WV 26351
Mailing address: 201 FCI LANE, GLENVILLE, WV 26351
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.
Daily life and programs
Situated in a rural area near Glenville in Gilmer County, West Virginia, Federal Correctional Institution Gilmer (FCI Gilmer) is a medium-security U.S. federal prison for adult men. The property is located roughly 85 miles northeast of Charleston and about 150 miles from Pittsburgh. Opened in 2003, the complex is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons as part of its Mid-Atlantic Region. An adjacent satellite prison camp houses a small population of minimum-security male inmates who provide much of the labor for the main institution and grounds. Although population estimates vary by source and reporting period, they generally fall between about 1,200 and 1,540 men in the main FCI, with the camp holding roughly 50 to 160. Delivered as a design-build project, construction of the facility was managed by The Bell Company. Upon completion, it was noted as the first Bureau of Prisons installation to pass its security-system inspection on the initial test.
Daily life follows the standard Bureau of Prisons structure, in which every able-bodied inmate is required to work or attend full-time education. Days are organized around work details, recreation periods, meals, counts, and commissary access. At the commissary, inmates can spend up to $360 per month. The institution runs a Federal Prison Industries (UNICOR) shop specializing in metal fabrication, including the customizing and up-fitting of U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicles. This shop employs roughly 120 inmates drawn from both the FCI and the camp. UNICOR pay runs from about $0.23 to $1.15 per hour, while regular institution jobs in food service, maintenance, and landscaping pay $0.12 to $0.40 per hour. Inmates communicate through the TRULINCS email system, monitored telephone access of about 300 minutes per month, and traditional mail. Finally, the prison's remote central West Virginia setting is frequently cited as a hardship for visiting families.
FCI Gilmer provides a variety of educational and rehabilitative programs, offering literacy, GED, and ESL classes, a standard parenting program, and Adult Continuing Education (ACE) courses. Qualifying inmates may also pursue an associate or bachelor degree in business management through a college partnership with Glenville State College. Vocational opportunities at the facility feature advanced occupational training in residential wiring, alongside apprenticeships in automobile mechanics, carpentry, electrical work, and welding. To address substance use, the institution offers Drug Abuse Education, the Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP), Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and the Resolve and Challenge programs. Multiple sources indicate that FCI Gilmer does not host the intensive Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP), although reporting on this point is not fully consistent. Furthermore, inmates are provided with comprehensive on-site medical, dental, and mental health services, which are subject to a standard $2.00 co-pay for all inmate-initiated sick-call visits.
Notable inmates
| Name | Sentence | Offense | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earl Simmons (DMX)[1] | 1 year (released January 25, 2019) | Tax fraud / tax evasion; concealed millions in income from the IRS | 2018-2019; served at FCI Gilmer, released from the West Virginia facility |
| Hector Rivera | Life | Hobbs Act robbery and firearms crimes; led a crew that stole millions of dollars in diamonds and jewels from Manhattan's Diamond District (convicted 2009) | Register No. 90335-054; held at the main medium-security institution |
| Edward Brown | 37 years (projected release around 2034) | Tax evasion and conspiracy; New Hampshire tax protester who engaged in an armed standoff with federal agents | Register No. 03923-049; held at the main medium-security institution |
| Floyd Lee Corkins II[2] | 25 years | Act of terrorism while armed and assault with intent to kill; 2012 shooting of a security guard at the Family Research Council headquarters in Washington, D.C. (per DOJ, https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/virginia-man-sentenced-25-years-prison-shooting-security-guard-family-research) | Reported held at FCI Gilmer by prison-information sources; NOT listed on the Wikipedia facility page, so placement is secondary-sourced |
References
- ↑ "Earl Simmons (DMX)". '. Retrieved 2026-07-07.
- ↑ "Floyd Lee Corkins II". '. Retrieved 2026-07-07.