FCI Lompoc II (low-security)

MALE

Gender

LOW

Security Level

~1,752

Population (2025)

RDAP

Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc II (FCI Lompoc II) is a low-security United States federal prison for male inmates located in Lompoc, California. The Federal Bureau of Prisons, which operates it, is a division of the United States Department of Justice. About 175 miles northwest of Los Angeles, this facility sits adjacent to Vandenberg Space Force Base as part of the larger Lompoc Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Lompoc).

Overview

Low-security housing for adult males. That's the core mission here. As of 2025, roughly 1,752 inmates live in dormitory-style accommodations at the main institution. There's also an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp that holds about 190 lower-risk offenders.

Throughout its existence, the facility's shifted security levels more than once, operating at various times as high, medium, and now low security. Dormitory living arrangements help inmates connect with work and educational programs more easily than cell-based systems would allow.

The perimeter has two fences with electronic detection systems. Motion sensors and surveillance cameras round out the security picture.

History

It all started with the Army. During World War II, the military ran disciplinary barracks on the grounds of Camp Cooke, a training installation near Lompoc. When the Federal Bureau of Prisons took over in the 1950s, they were working to repurpose closed or underutilized military installations for federal incarceration purposes.

The facility opened in 1970. Back then, it was called Federal Prison Camp Lompoc. By 1990, it'd become the low-security federal prison we know today.

Drug Treatment Programs

Substance abuse treatment is comprehensive here. FCI Lompoc II offers several options:

• Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) - A 500-hour course running 9 to 12 months that uses cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques. Inmates who complete it may qualify for up to one year in sentence reduction.
• Drug Abuse Education Course
• Non-Residential Drug Abuse Treatment Program (NR-DAP)

Educational Programs

Educational opportunities span basic to advanced levels:

• Literacy programs
• GED preparation
• English-as-a-Second Language (ESL)
• Adult Continuing Education (ACE) courses
• Post-secondary education through correspondence programs

Health Services

Medical and dental care is available. Physical examinations, emergency treatment, and medication distribution happen regularly. What's important is that emergency medical care stays available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Notable Inmates (Historical)

Several notable individuals have been housed at the Lompoc Federal Correctional Complex:

• H.R. Haldeman - White House Chief of Staff under President Nixon. He served 18 months for conspiracy and corruption related to Watergate.
• Reed Slatkin - Co-founder of EarthLink who served 14 years on mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy convictions.
• Demetrius Flenory - Co-founder of the Black Mafia Family. He served 30 years for leading a national drug trafficking operation.
• Chi Mak - Former Boeing engineer serving 24 years for conspiracy to commit economic espionage.

Christopher Boyce Escape (1980)

In 1980, Christopher Boyce was serving 40 years for spying for the Soviet Union when he got out. He found a hidden drainage hole, built a makeshift ladder, and used small scissors to cut through the security perimeter. The nationwide manhunt lasted 20 months before U.S. Marshals and FBI agents tracked him down.

Notes from Alumni

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Keep in mind that personal experiences are unique and may not reflect conditions today.

Location

Physical address: 3901 Klein Blvd, Lompoc, CA 93436

The facility sits about 175 miles northwest of Los Angeles, right next to Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Contact

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 805-735-2771

Visitation

Visiting rules here are specific and detailed. You'll want to know what's expected before you show up. Check out our Visitation Guide for the full breakdown.

For the most current visiting rules and scheduling information, always go straight to the Bureau of Prisons official page for this institution: Official BOP Page.

See also

• Index of Federal Prison Facilities
• Bureau of Prisons Classification Methods
• Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP)

Daily life and programs

Operated by the Bureau of Prisons, Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc II is a low-security U.S. federal prison for adult male inmates. The facility functions as part of the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Lompoc in Santa Barbara County, California. Situated roughly 175 miles northwest of Los Angeles and adjacent to Vandenberg Space Force Base, the property includes an adjacent minimum-security satellite prison camp. The 'Lompoc II' name reflects a redesignation of the complex's institutions, as a separate low-security unit at the same complex operates as FCI Lompoc I. The site's history traces to 1959, when the facility began as a military disciplinary barracks on the former Camp Cooke. Over the decades, its security designation shifted between higher and lower classifications before ultimately settling at low security.

Population counts vary depending on the specific source and date. According to records from the BOP, the complex accommodated roughly 2,045 individuals in September 2024, placing about 1,754 inmates in the main FCI and 291 in the camp. Alternatively, independent facility guides have cited totals nearer 2,200 to 2,300. Because it operates as a low-security institution, Lompoc II relies on dormitory-style housing rather than traditional cells. This architectural layout supports open movement to work and program assignments, while the facility's secure perimeter combines double fencing with electronic detection, motion sensors, and camera surveillance. Inmate daily life adheres to the standard federal rhythm, integrating morning and afternoon inmate counts, work assignments, communal meals, and scheduled recreation. As a result, this environment affords individuals more freedom of internal movement than higher-security prisons allow.

Reentry and program availability is partly disputed in public sources. The BOP institution page and Wikipedia describe Lompoc II as operating a Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP). However, at least one specialized facility guide states the institution does not currently offer RDAP and that inmates seeking it must request a transfer. This discrepancy should be verified against the BOP before it is relied on. Additionally, UNICOR (Federal Prison Industries) availability is not clearly documented for this site and should be confirmed directly. The facility provides the customary institutional work assignments, which pay roughly 12 to 40 cents per hour, with higher UNICOR rates where available. Inmates have access to educational programs, including GED and adult continuing-education classes, as well as a law library. Recreation options include basketball courts, a walking track, and softball fields, plus weight and cardio equipment. The institution provides medical, dental, and mental-health care, and it facilitates family contact through visitation, monitored telephone minutes, TRULINCS email, and mail. Finally, eligible inmates can earn First Step Act time credits through approved programming and productive activities.

The complex was the subject of national reporting in 2020 when a large COVID-19 outbreak occurred at FCC Lompoc. The virus infected large numbers of inmates and staff, including correctional officers, making the complex one of the most heavily affected federal prison sites early in the pandemic. Historically, the adjacent Lompoc minimum-security camp was sometimes described as 'Club Fed' because it held publicly known white-collar and political figures. In its low-security era, the institution has also housed nationally known defendants from financial fraud, domestic terrorism, and cryptocurrency cases, several of whom are listed below.

Notable inmates

Name	Sentence	Offense	Dates
Changpeng Zhao (CZ)	4 months	Failure to maintain an effective anti-money-laundering program at Binance (Bank Secrecy Act violation); founder and former CEO of Binance	reported June 2024; released Sept. 27, 2024
Kevin Harpham	32 years	Attempted bombing of the 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in Spokane, Washington (domestic terrorism / hate crime); BOP register 13663-085
Enrique Marquez Jr.	20 years	Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists; supplied the rifles used in the 2015 San Bernardino attack; BOP register 71450-112
Robert H. Shapiro	25 years	Operator of the Woodbridge Group investment-fraud Ponzi scheme (~$1.3 billion, 7,000+ victims); BOP register 77952-112
Cody Easterday	11 years	Wire fraud in the 'ghost cattle' scheme, billing Tyson Foods for ~200,000 nonexistent cattle (~$244 million); BOP register 37593-509
Mossimo Giannulli	~5 months (2020); released April 2021	Conspiracy in the 'Operation Varsity Blues' college-admissions bribery scandal; served at the low-security FCI (reported as 'FCI Lompoc' in 2020, pre-reorganization)	2020-2021
Ivan Boesky	3 years (served ~2); released 1990	Wall Street insider trading; held at the adjacent minimum-security Lompoc prison camp	late 1980s