On March 26, 2020, Attorney General William Barr announced that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bureau of Prisons had “…instituted a comprehensive management approach that includes screening, testing, appropriate treatment, prevention, education, and infection control measures”.
He went on to say that the BOP would immediately start screening all federal prisoners who have COVID-19 risk factors in order to determine which of them might be released early and allowed to finish their sentences on home confinement.
The BOP later issued an announcement on April 5, 2020 indicating that the BOP’s case management staff were “…urgently reviewing all inmates to determine which ones meet the criteria established by the Attorney General” – and that the agency had “…also increased resources to review and make appropriate determinations as soon as possible”.
Based on that information, it certainly sounded like the BOP had fully embraced the idea of protecting federal inmates as much as possible from becoming infected with COVID-19.
It also sounded like the BOP was committed to releasing any inmates who had been convicted of non-violent crimes – and who known risk factors for COVID-19 – to serve out the balance of their sentence on home confinement.
Yep…that’s what it sounded like.
Too bad none of it was true.
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BOP Goes Into Lockdown
On April 1st, all 174,000 prisoners in the BOP’s 122 facilities were placed in a 14-day lockdown in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (This was Phase Five of the BOP’s “COVID-19 Action Plan”).
During that 14-day period, most of those prisoners spent 23-hours in their cells – and were only allowed out, at staggered times, for 1-hour for recreation, showers, and access to email (Some prisons only allowed their inmates out of their cells once every 3 days for those purposes).
All meals – many of which were cold by the time they arrived – were served to inmates in their cells.
Commissary and library privileges were either very limited or canceled altogether during the 14-day lockdown.
So were meetings with family members and friends – and even visits with attorneys.
At the conclusion of the 14-day lockdown, the BOP immediately implemented Phase Six of its “COVID-19 Action Plan”.
And what does Phase Six include?
All of the same stuff that went on during Phase Five – except this time the lockdown is scheduled to last for 34 days instead of 14 (The BOP even indicated that, depending on conditions, the current lockdown may be continued beyond May 18th).
Phase Six also included a lot of other carefully worded actions that need to be translated into everyday English before they can be fully understood.
Like “increased hiring” – which really only amounts to the BOP replacing all the guards who have contracted COVID-19.
And “suspension of training” because, once again, the BOP doesn’t have enough uninfected guards to waste time on training activities.
And “deployment of secondary Law Enforcement Officers throughout the agency…to assist with staffing shortages in field location” – which, translated to English, means that the secretaries in the BOP’s administrative offices will be deployed as guards in those prisons that are have had lots of guards infected with the coronavirus.
*****
Looks Like Home Releases Have Been Very Selective
According to a recent report in Forbes, there has not been any widespread release of federal prisoners since Barr first made his announcement back on March 26th.
Instead, Forbes reports that “…there have been no reports of such releases outside of the normal releases that BOP institutions do every week when an inmate’s term is completed (or transferred to a halfway house)”.
But, despite all of the BOP’s failures and blatant lies about what’s going on, a few federal prisoners have, in fact, been released because of their potential susceptibility to COVID-19.
Let’s take a look at who some of those are.
Michael Avenatti is one of the lucky few – and he only got a 90-day pass. Once that’s over, it’s back to federal prison for the former celebrity lawyer.
But former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, who was convicted of bribery, money laundering and tax evasion, has been released to his home in Texas – and will remain there until March 16, 2023. He started serving his 10-year sentence in September 2014.
And 23-year-old rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine – whose real name is Daniel Hernandez – also got released early because he suffers from asthma and was once hospitalized for bronchitis.
A couple of New York State lads hit the go-home-early lottery. One was former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, age 72, who will serve the balance of his 51-month sentence at home – and the 59-year-old Carl Logan who was doing a 12-year bid for cocaine trafficking.
Another seemingly lucky New York State lad, Michael Cohen, had his early leave canceled on the day before he was scheduled to go home. Cohen, who is serving a 3-year term, also received a letter from President Trump’s attorneys demanding that he “cease-and-desist” writing a tell-all memoir about his interactions with Trump. The BOP has refused to comment on why Cohen’s early release was rescinded – or whether it had anything to do with his memoir.
*****
Lots of Turndowns for Early Release
Meanwhile, lots of federal prisoners have had their request for an early release turned down flat by the BOP.
People like the 53-year-old R. Kelly – who is awaiting multiple trials on sex-related charges.
Martin Shkreli – AKA “Pharma Bro” – who even offered to work on a cure for COVID-19 if he were allowed to go home early – also had his request rejected.
So did Gilberto Rodriguez, the 81-year-old former chieftain of the Cali cartel, who is about half-way into his 30-year sentence.
Ditto for Leigh Winner, the National Security Agency analyst who is serving a 63-month sentence for leaking material about Russian interference in the 2016 election.
And Cincinnati investment advisor Glen Galemmo, who has served about one-third of his 15½ year sentence for running a Ponzi scheme that bilked 140 families out of millions of dollars, also got rejected.
As did ex-FIFA soccer honcho Juan Angel Napout who is serving his 9-year term at a federal prison in Miami.
And Genaro Garcia Luna, the 51-year-old former top cop in Mexico, who is currently housed at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, NY while he awaits trial on charges that he accepted millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa cartel.
*****
A Couple of Requests for Early Release Are Still Pending
John Matera, the Gambino mob soldier who pled guilty to conspiring to whack a federal witness, has asked to be released from the federal prison in Danbury, CT where he’s serving his 20-year term. No decision has been announced as of yet on his request.
And David Thai, the former Born To Kill gang kingpin who was sentenced to life for murdering a witness and committing a string of robberies in Chinatown in NYC. He is currently housed at Devens FCI – which is also where John Tighe is serving out his term (It is not known if John applied for early release).
And let’s not forget Bernie Madoff, the King of Ponzi schemers who had asked a federal judge for compassionate release even before the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. According to court filings, Madoff, who is about 11-years into his 150-year sentence, has terminal kidney cancer – and has less than 18 months to live. No ruling has been issued in his case as of yet.
*****
Stay tuned…In the next installment in this series, we’ll take a look at what’s really going on in federal prisons with respect to COVID-19. And as shocking as it may seem, that reality is very different from the BOP’s claims.
Frank Parlato 
Janine Morrison 
J.J. O'Hara 
Richard Luthmann 
Marie White 
Paul Serran
Please leave a comment: Your opinion is important to us!
People say that the COVID death rate is 0.40% ! This was circulated in several news channels also !
Me Thinks the death rate is beyond 10%,on aggregate count,and for some nations it is way beyond.
As per – https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries = there are 7.5 million cases and 420000 dead.Simple numerics place it at proximating 6%.
Wrong me says ! dindooohindoo
India,Brazil,Russia have seen a sharp rise in cases,in the last 30 days.40% of their cases came in the last 30 days,and for India, it will worsen exponentially.If you see the kill data of the RIB in the BRICS – it has increased sharply,in the last 30 days (which proves my thesis)
People dying today,were in the quasi morgue (hospitals) 30-60 days ago.Let us take it,at 30 days.
So we rewind to 30 days ago,and exclude the jump in RIB of BRICS,in the last 30 days. So we have say 4.5 million cases and the kill quant is 420,000
Rate proximates 10% ! But that is also wrong,as the infected are NOT solely on RTPCR mode.Many nations cannot afford it and are doing antibody tests.An antibody positive may be RTPCR negative,and the vice versa is less likely. If you exclude these specimens from the infected tally,the % rises further.
Also have to exclude the recovered cases – as those with immunity will recover in 30 days – AS THE VIRUS was DESIGNED THAT WAY.Unlike HIV and Cancer – where patients are NOT likely to recover- on a generic mode.But those who recover from COVID -WILL (in part) come back again,and then die.That will double count the infected cases.Hence,we exclude the recovered cases (which are 4 million,as per site stated above).
These Johnnies who recouped,may have been infected,say 15 days ago – and if you rewind to 15 days ago,and deduct the spike in the RIBs of the BRICS – you will have an infected base of,say 6 million.If you remove the recovered (4 million),and then ratio it,to the dead of 420000 – then you have a
kill ratio of 21% !
Cannot compare the dead to the entire population – as of this instant – as it would include billions of aged,morbid and asymptomatics – who will get infected very soon.
If we take a 1 year horizon – then post the 1 year – you could take the global population – as that by that time,the virus would have had enough time,to spread,evolve and mutate (across the latitudes and seasons). At that stage,a ratio w.r.t the population, would be a meaningful statistic – to benchmark intra and inter se,with other diseases.By that time the death rate will mature and the complete breakdown of the health infrastructure will be apparent (to explain the future geometric rise)
Hey Claviger.
You and Frank had a prime chance to help your friend, John Tighe, get released due to COVID.
Yet you CHOKED.
John Tighe is a fucken high risk diabetic, over 50 years old, which puts him at the top of the risk list for COVID complications.
You should have provided Tighe with representation, you selfish toilet bug.
Or maybe Frank should have coughed up enough cash to help Tighe hire a GOOD lawyer to get him sprung from prison —- due to his high risk ‘diabetes’ status.
Yet he didn’t.
Frank doesn’t give a fuck about Tighe. Frank hasn’t lifted a finger to help John Tighe.
Shame on Claviger & Frank for not helping a HIGH RISK DIABETIC get released from prison due to COVID.
Get off your lazy asses. Help your friend. Stop thinking about yourselves only.
Stop making excuses. Get it done. Free John Tighe.
Hey, Bangkok,
You and NiceGuy666 had a prime chance to help your friend, Scott Johnson, get asked questions due to being on his podcast.
Yet you CHOKED.
Scott Johnon is a f*cken high risk open book, over 50 years old, which puts him at the top of the risk list for making you look like the fool you are.
You should have provided Johnson with your presence on his show, you selfish toilet bug.
Or maybe NiceGuy should have coughed up enough of your schlong to help Johnson hire a GOOD comedian to get him sprung from your stupidity —- due to his high risk ‘would make you look like the fool you are’ status.
Yet he didn’t.
NiceGuy666 doesn’t give a f*ck about picking up a phone because he’s scared, and so are you. NiceGuy666 hasn’t lifted a finger to help you pick up a phone, either.
Shame on Bangkok & NiceGuy666 for not helping a HIGH RISK “MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE THE FOOL YOU ARE” get released from laughing due to your combined stupidity.
Get off your lazy a$$e$. Help your friend. Stop thinking about yourselves only.
Stop making excuses. Get it done. Free Scott Johnson to make you look like the fool that you are. LOL
Scott,
Why can you not use your name anymore?
Why can you not use your alias Tex anymore?
I imagine Amway sent you a legal notice or had you served by the sheriff’s department.
Now you are too scared to use your real name. Isn’t that right, puzzy?
Texy Melt- You want something CHOKED alright but it ain’t Bangkok’s neck you wanna CHOKE.
Ain’t that right Mr. Pecker Checker? Choke any chickens lately?
K.R,
Okay reporting.
Thanks!
P.S. Are you mad at Jessie Smullet for unfriending you on Facebook?
“Hell hath no fiery like white people unfriended on Facebook.”
Claviger was Facebook friends with Jussie?
What are you smoking?
Claviger,
Just busting balls.
Have a great weekend brother!
And keep up the good reporting!
[…] Source […]
Hi Clav, any word on John Tighe?
I understand he has diabetes and other major health issues that put him squarely in the Covid-19 high risk category and pray he has not been, will not be infected.
For those who don’t know, John survived at least one murder attempt likely ordered by NXIVM, by food poisoning, in 2010-2011 that put him in intensive care, damaged his internal organs.
Clare and Sara Bronfman’s Albany attorney, Steve Coffee, worked with police sergeant Roger Kirsopp to confiscate Tighe’s computer over alleged “computer trespass” charges instigated by NXIVM and its “consultants” including Ben Myers and Kristin Keeffe. Keeffe ‘interned’ in Albany DA P. David Soares office to help build the case against John and other NXIVM whistleblowers.
Wouldn’t ya know, a single file of kiddie porn was allegedly discovered on John’s recently donated, new computer.
John was writing about NXIVM on his popular political blog, Saratoga In Decline and was just beginning to investigate the death of Gina Hutchinson.
John accepted a plea deal and is now serving out a prison term. Ben Myers, Kristin Keeffe and Sara Bronfman have not been charged in any of the NXIVM crimes to date.
They could succeed in the de facto murder of John Tighe yet.
Hi Clav. I’m cool, I’m Heidi. LOL
Madam Heidi,
Can you say with 100% certainty that John Tighe is innocent of the child porn charges?
Could it be possible that you and Frank are using your friendship with Tighe to believe that he’s innocent even if he’s not?
To plead guilty to child porn is a big deal.
It’s not something that a person would do just to ‘avoid a trial’.
He’s must register and be labeled for LIFE as a sexual predator.
Besides, if only one file was found — and if he was really innocent — I’d like to think that he’d have FOUGHT for his innocence and not folded like a cheap lawn chair.
Frank thinks EVERYBODY who makes a plea deal is innocent.
Frank is not able to consider this point of view for even one second.
What about you, Miss Heidi?
I suspect that Madam Heidi has her head up her butt and doesn’t really care whether Tighe is guilty or not.
I suspect that Heidi doesn’t give a fuck about innocence or guilt.
MANY child porn pictures were found on Tighe’s computer. His plea deal was for only one of them. You should come on Scott’s show to discuss how STUPID Heidi is, and then Scott will make YOU look like the fool that you are. LOL
I think it is important to consider that those pictures were planted. One of the most concerning things was, according to a source familiar with the case and John himself, the images were only accessed once when they were downloaded on his computer [by whoever downloaded them].
This is odd since it seems most collectors of porn would download it to access it, to view it and go back to it repeatedly. John never did. It was downloaded and that’s it. And if anybody knows anything about Raniere, this was within his wheelhouse to ruin a person by planting child porn on their computer.
I think John is innocent. And has suffered immensely for being out there and fighting Raniere.
John Tighe’s innocence or guilt and my opinion thereto is besides the point.
The point is that John Tighe IS at extreme high risk for Covid-19 —the more we learn about the virus, the more scientists conclude that “sugar diabetes” (as it used to be known before the sugar industry fixed that) IS one of the highest risk factors — and since John Tighe is not serving a life sentence he should not be condemned to die in prison due to his diabetes and general poor health that a near-death food poisoning incident likely wrought by NXIVM may well have contributed to.
Besides, we all well know by now that Frank’s opinion is the only one that matters on FR.
I’ve already shared what facts I know, what I witnessed firsthand, regarding some of the circumstances as to the charges against John with Frank —including some glaring untruths found in Roger Kirsopp’s initial police report — as conveyed to Sergeant Kirsopp by Kristin Keeffe who, however, faults her dead ‘friend’ Pam Caffritz for those misnomers.
In fact, over a year ago, before learning the extent to which Kristin Keeffe has Frank wrapped around her pinky — in a most dainty, subservient, “fascinating woman” way — I contributed a story to FR on the topic that has not been published.
I am concerned that John Tighe has not been heard from and, despite the deliberately divisive Bangcuckery, do not at all fault Claviger (or Frank) for allegedly not attempting to get in touch with him, etc. As usual, Bangcuck’s interpretation and regurgitation of my thoughts is entirely foreign to me and bespeaks his mind, not mine.
Anonymous,
Frank left out 2 additional important points:
1. The videos retrieved from John Tighe’s computer all came from one website from a onetime download session. Not multiple downloads at different times or other websites.
2. No other child pornography was found in John Tighe’s possession.
Anonymous, try and find one criminal case like the John Tighe case.
You won’t be able to find one case. I know because I tried. John’s case is one of a kind. Why? Because he was framed.
End of story
Why hasn’t Claviger contacted her buddy Tighe to find out whether he has/wants an early release? He would be a perfect candidate.
Barr did not order all prisoners to be let go, much to Claviger’s chagrin. The conditions are the prisoner has not been imprisoned for a violent crime, has one or more serious risks (65 or older, diabetes, heart, lung, etc.), and is near the end of their sentence. I think these criteria are being followed very well. Claviger needs to get a shot of conservatism and Trump up. LOL