Taft Correctional Institution (CI) – CLOSING JAN 31, 2020

Taft Correctional Institution (CI) – CLOSING JAN 31, 2020's comprehensive information to help guide you through the federal prison process, specifically on how to remain connected to your inmate while they are incarcerated.

The MTC-Taft CI is a federal prison located at 1500 Cadet Rd in Taft, CA. This CLOSED security prison is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to hold inmates who have been convicted to and sentenced for a federal crime through the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

Locate all federal inmates here. If you would like to speak with a case manager or counselor, call 661-763-2510.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has confirmed that the decision to close the Taft Prison at the end of January was because funds did not exist for an estimated $100 million worth of repairs. BOP officials confirmed with 23ABC that on Tuesday, they notified MTC Corporation that the Taft Correctional Institution, which is a government-owned, contractor-operated facility, would be deactivated on January 31. The decision comes after 10 to 15 years of infrastructure problems at the jail that included geological and seismic concerns, according to BOP's statement. An assessment of the building concluded that repairs would end up costing an estimated $100 million in which BOP said there were not enough funds for.

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Notable inmates that served time here include Jordan Belfort, the former stockbroker who pleaded guilty to fraud and related crimes in connection with stock-market manipulation and running a boiler room as part of a penny-stock scam. Belfort spent 22 months in prison as part of an agreement under which he gave testimony against numerous partners and subordinates in his fraud scheme. He published the memoir The Wolf of Wall Street in 2007, which was adapted into a film and released in 2013. Thomas B. Kin Chong is a Canadian-American comedian, actor, writer, director, musician and cannabis rights activist who is known for his marijuana-themed Cheech & Chong comedy albums and movies with Cheech Marin. Donald Blankenship (born March 14, 1950) is an American business executive and candidate for the United States Senate in West Virginia in 2018. He was Chairman and CEO of the Massey Energy Company—the sixth-largest coal company (by 2008 production) in the United States. In April 2016, Blankenship was sentenced to one year in, prison and fined $250,000 and reported to FCI Taft the next month. He was released from prison on May 10, 2017. Victor H. "Vic" Kohring is a former member of the Alaska House of Representatives. A Republican, he was elected to seven consecutive two-year terms beginning in 1994. Kohring was indicted on federal bribery and extortion charges on May 4, 2007. He, along with former state legislators, Republicans Pete Kott, and Bruce Weyhrauch, was accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from VECO, an oilfield services company. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. Rudy Kurniawan, birth name Zhen Wang Huang is a wine collector and convicted perpetrator of wine fraud. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

visitation Info

PRISON_SHORT_NAME – Visitation

Federal facility visiting hours

Sunday 8:00 am – 2:30 pm
Monday 5:00 am – 8:00 pm
Friday 5:00 am – 8:00 pm
Saturday 8:00 am – 2:30 pm
Federal Holidays 8:00 am – 2:30 pm