El Reno Federal Prison, OK Inmate Roster

El Reno Federal Prison is a men’s medium-security federal correctional institution in El Reno, Oklahoma about 33 miles outside of Oklahoma City. It has an adjacent minimum-security prison camp. The two facilities can hold up to 1,000 inmates. Currently, they hold 985 inmates.

It opened in 1933 to hold inmates from Kansas. Originally it was opened to receive male inmates from ages 18 to 26 but now holds adult inmates of all ages in the 1970s. President Barack Obama was the first sitting President to visit a federal prison when he visited El Reno Federal Prison in 2015.

One of the most notable inmates is Diego Montoya Sanchez, the former leader of the Notre del Valle drug cartel in Colombia.

Correspondence with Inmates

Inmates and their loved ones are highly encouraged to keep in touch with each other. There are several ways to maintain a strong connection with each other, both with old-fashioned and new technology. Inmates are advised to use all methods available to them.

Letters

To send a letter to an inmate at FCI El Reno, use the following format

INMATE NAME & REGISTRATION NUMBER
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTE
P.O. BOX 1500
EL RENO, OK 73036

All letters sent to inmates at El Reno Federal Prison are inspected for the letter content and contraband before being given to the inmate. Letters cannot contain planning any illegal activity or threaten the safety of the penitentiary. Photos can be sent through the mail, but cannot depict any sexual act or nudity.

Packages can only be sent after being approved. The only packages that inmates can receive contain medical items and clothes for release. The clothes will be held by the prison staff for up to thirty days before an inmate is released.

Phone Calls

Phone calls can be a great way for inmates to keep in touch with their loved ones and their community. Phone calls made at El Reno Federal Prison cannot be made on a third-party app to ensure that the phone call can be properly monitored. All calls must be monitored, though some exceptions can be made for calls with a lawyer.

At times the person receiving the call may pay for it but most phone calls are paid for by the inmate. Phone calls may also be limited by the FCI El Reno warden to ensure that the inmate is following the rules and his responsibilities.

Emails

Emails have been used for personal and business use for many years, now inmates can send emails as well. Inmates can use the TRULINCS closed internet system to send and receive email messages of up to 13,000 characters. No pictures can be sent through TRULINCS.

TRULINCS is paid by the inmates at FCI El Reno, either by a direct fee or through the profits made through the commissary. Before an inmate can send or receive emails, he and the potential correspondent have to be approved and agree to have their emails monitored.

Money Deposits

Money deposits can also be a good way to help maintain connections between inmates and their loved ones. Money cannot be sent through the mail like a letter and must be sent as a money order or a deposit through Western Union or MoneyGram.

To send a money order to an inmate, you will need their name and registration number. The money order must be sent through USPS to the processing facility in Iowa. To ensure that the money order is sent correctly, you will need to put enough postage on the envelope.

Money deposits to an inmate’s account are made through Western Union or MoneyGram. These deposits can be made over the phone or online. You will need the inmate’s name and eight-digit registration number. Any deposit made before 9:00 pm eastern time should be processed within two to four hours.

Inmate Roster

Inmates at El Reno Federal Prison can be looked up through the Bureau of Prisons website for free. Anybody who has been incarcerated through the federal prison system back through 1982 can be searched.

To see if the inmate you’re looking for is still at FCI El Reno, all that you will need is the inmate’s name or a registration number. To narrow down the search you can also search by age, sex, and race.

These records can change quickly, especially with the passage of The First Step Act as more people are being released. Records are usually updated within 24 hours. Before writing to or visiting an inmate it is always advised to look up the inmate to make sure they’re at that facility. Inmates can be transferred quickly and before they can tell their loved ones that they’re moving.

General Visitation Guidelines

Inmates at FCI El Reno are responsible for alerting potential visitors about being approved to visit, arranging visits, and visitation protocol. All visitors have to be pre-approved, including lawyers. All visitation has to be arranged beforehand.

Before being approved to visit El Reno Federal Prison or any prison in the federal prison system, an inmate will fill out a form listing out potential visitors. Those visitors will be requested to fill out the remainder of the form and undergo a background check.

When visiting, visitors must be dressed appropriately and modestly. Visitors cannot wear hoodies or other hooded clothes. Both the inmate and his visitors must limit physical contact to the beginning and the end of the visit and keep their talking volume low.

Currently, all visitation to FCI El Reno has been suspended.

Personal Cleanliness

Inmates at El Reno Federal Prison are responsible for their hygiene and keeping their cell clean. After being checked in, inmates are expected to check their cell for any damages and report them. They can be financially responsible for any damages in their cell.

At 7:00 in the morning, Mondays through Fridays, inmates should be prepared for an inspection of their cell. Beds must be made to regulation and floors must be swept and mopped. Items cannot be stored under the mattress and nothing can be attached to the walls.

Any photos of a sexual nature or with nudity must be kept in the inmate’s locker. This is to help maintain order in the facility. All displayed photos must be appropriate. One framed photo is allowed on the inmate’s desk.

Every inmate gets a shelf in their cell that they can use to display personal items and photos. They can also purchase a locker for storage. Some items can be placed under the bed, but no cardboard boxes or paper bags will be used for storage. No cell will become so cluttered that it turns into a fire hazard.

Inmates are expected to stay clean and shower regularly. Soap and shampoo will be given to inmates to help them maintain a level of cleanliness. Additional hygiene products can be purchased at the commissary.

Commissary Store

Inmates in the federal prison system can purchase personal items at the commissary, or prison store. Inmates must use their money from the commissary card to make all purchases. At FCI El Reno, inmates are limited to spending no more than $360 a month, with up to $180 spent by the first of the month and the fifteenth of the month.

Inmates can purchase over the counter medicine and reading glasses through the commissary. Some clothing and food items can also be purchased. The clerks at the commissary cannot add or substitute items once the commissary form is filled out and signed.

Money for the commissary can be obtained by working a job assignment or through money deposits from family and friends. Upon release, the inmate’s money is put on a debit card and given to the inmate.

Services for Inmates

The goal of the El Reno Federal Prison to help inmates re-enter society ready to be productive. Getting educational and job training, as well as psychological services, helps inmates leave the penitentiary ready to live productive lives.

All inmates who do not have a high school diploma or GED have to take classes to prepare for the GED exam. Inmates who don’t pass the GED are reassigned to the literacy class to prepare to take it again. Inmates who pass the exam get $25 and participate in a graduation ceremony.

Once inmates have obtained their GED they can choose how to advance their education. Inmates can take vocational and occupational classes and training. Adult continuing education is also available to them, as well as correspondence learning. Inmates can also request to take an apprenticeship for further job training.

The library services are also open to all inmates. Inmates can check out a book for fun or education purposes in both Spanish and English. Books not at the library can be checked out through the interlibrary program from local, state, and college libraries. The legal library can be used to prep legal documents.

Inmates who have children can also take parenting classes to learn ways to connect with their kids, even while in prison. They also prepare for how to re-enter the family unit after a prolonged absence. These classes offer tools to have a nurturing and healthy relationship with the inmate’s children and families.

When entering El Reno Federal Prison, inmates have to undergo a psychological evaluation. This evaluation will establish what kind of further psychological services the inmate will need, including drug treatment or specialized psychological treatment. Psychological services will also help the inmate develop goals for treatment and the best ways to stay motivated to reach those goals.

Jobs for Inmates

Another way that inmates can be prepared for life outside of prison is to have a job assignment. Once an inmate has been medically cleared they will receive a job assignment. Most of these assignments offer to pay through the Inmate Performance Pay (IPP) program. Payment is offered on a scale.

A work assignment change can be requested and may change depending on the inmate’s needs. All job changes have to be approved by the staff and any changes will be posted on the Daily Change Sheet. Inmates are in charge of getting to their work assignments on time.

Many inmates will receive a job in food service, a unit orderly, or mechanical services. FCI El Reno also has job assignments through UNICOR, a factory service. UNICOR offers jobs in factories making items for the federal government, including clothing. These jobs often have a waiting list.

Many inmates who get priority to work with UNICOR services have a high financial obligation. The jobs through UNICOR can help inmates pay court-ordered debts off faster. The experience and training through UNICOR also help inmates when they leave prison.

Having a job that pays helps inmates meet their financial obligations. Inmates are financially responsible for paying any court fees or other debt that they may have outside of prison, including child support. Staff can help inmates develop a plan to handle this debt and repayment plans.

Recreation in Prison

Inmates are also encouraged to develop hobbies and skills in prison to help prevent boredom. El Reno Federal Prison has many activities that inmates can engage in to stay busy, including athletics and working out. Being physically fit can help reduce stress levels and give inmates goals to work towards.

Participating in organized sports can also help inmates. It can help promote competition in a healthy way while also helping inmates coordinate with their teammates.

FCI El Reno also offers several indoor activities for inmates. Inmates can watch movies on movie nights or play music. They can also participate in learning new hobbies that are not designed to make money or to be used for employment gain.

Inmates can take art, woodworking, and leatherwork classes. Inmates can also learn knitting and crocheting under supervision. Each hobby class is coordinated with the recreation supervisor and the unit managers for housing unit activities.

Recreational activities are programs and services that can be taken away as punishment if an inmate does not follow the rules and responsibilities laid out for him.

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