FDC Houston
| Location | 1200 Texas Avenue, Houston, Texas (downtown) |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Classification | Administrative (all security levels) |
| Capacity | 1,118 (design) |
| Population | approximately 817–940 (2025–2026 snapshots) |
| Opened | October 1999 |
| Managed by | Federal Bureau of Prisons |
The Federal Detention Center, Houston (FDC Houston) is an administrative-security federal detention facility in downtown Houston, Texas, operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The 11-story building at 1200 Texas Avenue holds men and women of all security levels — primarily federal defendants awaiting trial or sentencing in the Southern District of Texas, along with inmates serving short sentences.
FDC Houston opened in October 1999 and was built for $35 million with a design capacity of 1,118. Like other detention centers, its job is proximity to the courthouse, not rehabilitation programming: detainees are held near their hearings, and the population turns over constantly as cases resolve.
Facility
The facility is an 11-story tower in downtown Houston near Daikin Park. Address: 1200 Texas Avenue, Houston, TX 77002 (mailing: PO Box 526255, Houston, TX 77052). Phone: (713) 221-5400.
FDC Houston holds approximately 800–950 people in recent snapshots, under its rated capacity — unlike many detention facilities, it has not faced sustained overcrowding headlines.
Who Is Held Here
Most of the population is pretrial — people charged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern of Texas who were not released on bond. A congressional letter in 2025 described FDC Houston's design purpose as holding inmates who are "extremely dangerous, violent, or escape-prone," alongside routine pretrial detainees.
History and Incidents
The facility's most notorious episode came in April 2008, when inmate Joel Lopez was indicted for a $2 million murder-for-hire plot against a federal judge — plotted from inside the facility. Lopez was convicted and is now held at USP Pollock. A month earlier, in March 2008, an inmate disturbance left three staff members and eight inmates injured.
Visiting
Visiting follows the BOP's detention-center pattern — scheduled weekend blocks, call ahead before traveling. Phone: (713) 221-5400.
In the News
- 20 alleged Houston gang members charged federally — SDTX federal detention cycle that routes through FDC Houston. KHOU (2024). [1]
Community Discussions
First-person threads from Reddit (r/prison and similar communities) — useful for what the official sources don't say:
- r/Prison — former inmate: FDC Houston in 2008 was 'pretty dangerous' — firsthand conditions comparison
- r/OnTheBlock — working at FDC Houston — staff asking about daily lockup routines
- r/Felons — what's it like in fed jail in Texas? — Texas federal facility comparisons including FDC Houston
Notable Detainees and Residents
- Joel Lopez — plotted a $2 million murder-for-hire against a federal judge from inside the facility in 2008; now at USP Pollock
- Lea Fastow — held during the Enron prosecutions in 2004 (widely photographed arrival)
See Also
References
- ↑ "20 alleged Houston gang members charged federally". KHOU. Retrieved November 10, 2026.