Kenneth Glad
Lawmakers say whistleblowers have raised serious concerns about how Ghislaine Maxwell is being treated behind bars, prompting calls for a federal investigation.
The Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas, is a minimum-security facility designed to house non-violent offenders, operating without perimeter fencing and with fewer controls than higher-security prisons.
Like more than 40 similar camps across the federal system, it relies heavily on staff supervision and internal reporting rather than physical security.
That structure is now under scrutiny. In a letter sent in late January to the Justice Department’s Inspector General, Democratic congressmen Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia said they had received information from more than a dozen individuals familiar with operations at the Bryan facility, prompting them to seek an independent review.
Internal complaints prompt watchdog referral
According to the letter, the complainants raised concerns about staff conduct and institutional practices, including allegations of sexual misconduct involving inmates.
Raskin and Garcia wrote that the consistency of the reports suggested potential systemic weaknesses rather than isolated incidents.
The lawmakers asked the Inspector General to consider whether prison officials violated federal law, failed to respond appropriately to alleged abuse, or attempted to restrict outside examination of the facility.
Inspector General referrals are typically assessed based on credibility, scope and potential legal exposure before a formal investigation is opened.
The Justice Department, according to The Daily Express, declined to comment on whether the request would result in a probe. Inspector General reviews, when initiated, often take months and do not always produce public findings.
Direct congressional involvement in prison operations is relatively rare. Lawmakers usually rely on internal compliance systems, courts and inspectors to address concerns, intervening only when they believe oversight mechanisms may not be functioning effectively.
High-profile inmate adds visibility to broader issues
The Bryan camp houses Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking offences linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
While Maxwell is not identified in the letter as the subject of the alleged misconduct, her presence has amplified public and political attention on the facility.
In their letter, Raskin and Garcia wrote that inmates were allegedly warned that contact with the press could result in transfers to distant mixed-sex prisons, citing accounts from individuals familiar with prison operations.
As part of their oversight efforts, the lawmakers said they are seeking permission to question Maxwell. According to the letter, they argue that direct testimony could help clarify how prison officials respond to internal complaints and whether allegations of unequal treatment have been adequately reviewed.
Maxwell’s lawyer has criticised the congressional push, arguing that external pressure risks politicising prison management.
The Inspector General has not said whether a formal inquiry will be opened, leaving unanswered questions about how, and how quickly, allegations from inside federal prison camps are examined when they reach Congress.
Sources: Congressional correspondence; Justice Department statements; Daily Express
