FCI McDowell (minimum-security camp)
FCI McDowell is a minimum-security satellite camp for men in Welch, West Virginia, operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It held about 32 people as of November 2025. It does not offer the Residential Drug Abuse Program. The institution's main number is 304-436-7300.
Location
Physical location: WELCH, WV 24801
Mailing address: 101 FEDERAL DRIVE, WELCH, WV 24801
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 McDowell allow conjugal visits?
No. FCI McDowell 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 McDowell?
FCI McDowell 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
FCI McDowell is a medium-security federal prison located in McDowell County in southern West Virginia, featuring an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp for men. Situated near Welch, roughly four miles north of the town, the complex opened in 2010 at a cost of about $223 million. The facility was promoted as an economic-development anchor for one of the poorest coal-country counties in the United States. However, local hiring initially fell short of expectations, as only 12 of the first 87 hires came from McDowell County. The main institution holds roughly 1,660 medium-security men, while the satellite camp houses a much smaller minimum-security population. Population figures for the camp vary by source; Wikipedia cites a design figure of about 130, whereas inmate-locator sites report a current camp count closer to 30 to 42.
Operating with the relaxed footprint typical of federal prison camps, the facility has no walls or fences. Inmates reside in open dormitories instead of the multi-occupancy cells used at the main institution. Camp placement is generally reserved for men who are not considered a flight risk or a threat to public safety, usually those with limited time remaining and no history of violence or escape. Every able inmate is required to hold a work assignment and to pursue educational, vocational, and life-skills goals. This camp labor supports the day-to-day operations of the wider complex, and a structured daily schedule governs meals, counts, work, programming, and recreation.
FCI McDowell provides educational and reentry programming that includes literacy and GED preparation, English-as-a-Second-Language, parenting, and Adult Continuing Education courses. Vocational tracks at the facility cover carpentry, masonry, residential wiring, welding, and business marketing, alongside apprenticeships for roles such as cook, electrical, HVAC, plumber, and teacher assistant. Because the institution does not operate the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP), inmates who need it are referred to other institutions; however, a Drug Education Class and the Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program are available on site. McDowell does not house a UNICOR (Federal Prison Industries) factory. Communications and commissary systems follow standard Bureau of Prisons practice, featuring monthly phone minutes, TRULINCS email, and a commissary spending cap of about $360 per month.
Although the camp itself is classified as low-security, the broader McDowell complex has experienced the contraband enforcement common to medium-security institutions. In 2017 and afterward, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of West Virginia charged multiple McDowell inmates with possessing handmade weapons, known as shanks, or attempting to smuggle drugs into the prison. Those prosecutions involved the general medium-security population rather than the minimum-security camp, and none of the individuals charged are considered notable inmates.
Notable inmates
| Name | Sentence | Offense | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony F. Mack[1] | 58 months | Public corruption while Mayor of Trenton, New Jersey: convicted of bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud, and extortion for accepting bribes tied to a sham parking-garage development scheme | Reported to the FCI McDowell camp in June 2014; released September 7, 2018 |
References
- ↑ "Tony F. Mack". '. Retrieved 2026-07-07.