FPC Yankton
The Federal Prison Camp, Yankton (FPC Yankton) is a minimum-security federal prison camp for men in Yankton, South Dakota — housed on the campus of the former Yankton College, which closed in 1984. The camp opened in 1988, and the college-campus setting (dorms, quad, academic buildings) is its signature trait; Forbes once called it one of America's 'cushiest' prisons.
Location
Physical location: 1016 Douglas Avenue, Yankton, SD 57078 (former Yankton College campus)
Mailing address: 1016 Douglas Avenue, Yankton, SD 57078
Visitation
Per yan_visit.pdf; call (605) 665-3262.
Yankton is one of only a handful of standalone camps that offers BOP RDAP, which drives many designations. It survived the BOP's 2024–2026 closure waves — floated as a candidate in early 2025 reports, it was not on the July 1, 2026 closure list [1].
Facility and Programs
Address: 1016 Douglas Avenue, Yankton, SD 57078. Phone: (605) 665-3262. Male only; minimum security; roughly 517 held in 2026. RDAP available on site. Inmates live in dormitory-style housing converted from college buildings; work details center on facility maintenance and community projects.
Pop Culture
The camp appeared in the 2017 Twin Peaks revival as 'Yankton Federal Prison.' Director John McTiernan (Die Hard, Predator) served his 2013 sentence here — an experience he later called professionally ruinous.
Incidents
In January 2025 a Yankton man pleaded guilty to throwing synthetic cannabinoids over the fence. In May 2026 authorities searched for an inmate who walked away after a transfer; he was returned to custody.
First-hand accounts
First-person threads from Reddit (r/prison and similar communities) — useful for what the official sources don't say:
- r/OnTheBlock — FPC Yankton or MCFP Springfield? — staff comparing the two facilities
- r/TheTpGentleman — 'possibly the best federal prison in the Midwest' — firsthand praise
- r/confession — visitation at the college-campus camp — visitor's perspective
Notable inmates
| Name | Sentence | Offense / why notable | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| John McTiernan | Die Hard/Predator director, served 2013 in the perjury/wiretap case | ||
| Steve Stenger | ex-St. Louis County executive, corruption, 2019–21 |
In the News
- Yankton man pleads guilty to throwing drugs into prison — contraband throw-over case. KELOLAND (January 19, 2025). [2]
- Authorities searching for escaped inmate after transfer from FPC Yankton — walkaway from transfer. KTIV (May 6, 2026). [3]
- BOP announces facility closures and operational changes — Yankton not among closures. Federal Bureau of Prisons (July 1, 2026). [1]
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Federal Bureau of Prisons Announces Facility Closures and Operational Changes". Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved November 10, 2026. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "bop20260701" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ "Yankton man pleads guilty to throwing drugs into prison". KELOLAND. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Authorities searching for escaped inmate after transfer from FPC Yankton". KTIV. Retrieved November 10, 2026.
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