Letter #1: Notes From The Inside
"Turning yourself in to be incarcerated tugs against every fundamentally primal instinct we have as human beings," writes Samourai Wallet developer Keonne Rodriguez as he recounts his first night in prison.
Hello Reader.
I am writing to you from the FPC Morgantown in West Virginia. I surrendered myself on December 19 to begin my 60 month (5 year) sentence.
Surrendering yourself to prison is a fundamentally confusing and unnatural experience. One the one hand you are grateful to have been given a little more time with your loved ones, and more time to prepare. You thankfully get to avoid the dreaded "diesel therapy" (This is when the BOP sends you all across the United States by bus or plane, spending a few weeks in different prison settings, with murderers, rapists, child molesters, and the like before arriving to your final designated institution. All the while because you are unable to take classes you are not earning the possible credits needed to reduce your sentence.) and come in on "your own terms".
If you have time to read this article, you have time to sign the petition to free Samourai Wallet developers Keonne Rodriguez and William Hill. Every signature counts.
On the other hand turning yourself in to be incarcerated tugs against every fundamentally primal instinct we have as human beings. The absolutely surreal memory of driving myself to the prison, my wife as my trusted passenger, riding together like we have done so many times before. We both enjoy a banal conversation about the weather that day (snow, rain, and hail all in one drive) to try and mask the fact that I am on my way to give up my liberty, to say goodbye to our family, to begin a long period of incarceration. It is perverse.
At around 1:00 PM on December 19th I pulled into the visitors parking lot. I hugged and kissed my beautiful wife for the last time and walked in the freezing wind and rain to my new home for the foreseeable future.
The officer who met me at the gate was a kindly person. He offered to let me stand in the gatehouse to avoid the blistering cold. He performed a breathalyzer and tried to make me feel at ease with some friendly and casual conversation. A second officer eventually showed up. He searched me, counted the money I brought in with me (bringing in cash was a big mistake I would soon learn), and eventually escorted me into the intake section of the facility.
On the way to the intake section the guard stated matter of factly that it would take until after Christmas for my cash to appear 'on my books' - meaning no phone calls and no shopping for over a week. Ah, great. Overall the intake process was quick and efficient. The Corrections Officers (CO's) and support staff were all professional, some were cordial, some others were even friendly.
I had worn in plain grey sweat pants and a plain grey sweatshirt in the small chance that the intake COs would let me bring those items inside the prison with me. Unfortunately they did not. I was instructed to strip off the clothes until I was fully naked. The clothes were thrown into a plastic bag to be discarded or destroyed. After inspecting my cock, balls, and asshole (sorry, but it is what happened) the CO handed me an oversized pair of khaki pants, a brown shirt with suspicious bleach stains across the front, and a pair of cheap blue slip on shoes.
After getting dressed in the uniform that would scream "newbie!" to everyone who encountered me I was instructed to meet several members of staff.
David Z. Morris
First on the carousel of rubber stamps was Psychology. I mistook the psychologist for another inmate going through intake. A big man, mean looking, a long scraggly beard down to his chest. If you told me he was on the last 5 years of a 30 year bid I would have said "of course he is". Anyway he was the psychologist I was instructed to meet. His concern was primarily my mental health and if I was suicidal or not. Like every other member of staff he was respectful and professional.
I was then instructed to meet with the Physician's Assistant to be medically cleared. Besides a TB test and DNA collection by use of a inner cheek swab, this was as average of a medical exam as one would find in a school nurses office. Once I was through the merry-go-round of clearances I needed to obtain before entering the general population I was introduced to the first inmate I had encountered today.
Shane is an orderly who helps introduce new inmates to their new home. Average height, average build, probably early 60's, a very friendly Irish face and rosy cheeks. Frankly, he is the perfect person for this role. Shane had collected a jacket, hat, and gloves for me. He was carrying a pillow and bed roll for me, I was carrying a large plastic bag with two spare sets of Intake uniform, two sheets, two towels, two washcloths, two boxers, two pairs of socks, a toilet paper roll, and a small plastic bag filled with basic toiletries. It was explained to me that because I was ordered to surrender on a Friday, I would not get to Laundry for a proper uniform until Monday.
So, I would stick out like a sore thumb until then. Combined with the complications of depositing money onto my account due to a Friday + Holiday surrender it really felt like another farewell gift from Judge Cote who got to turn the screw against me one final time.
Shane pointed out each building on the campus while I tried to keep up with him and retain all this information. I was to be housed in the Bates Unit, apparently this is good fortune because Alexander Unit is filled with rowdy reprobates and has no air conditioning. I will be housed within the B Wing of Bates Unit, which is apparently where they put all the newcomers and younger guys. Older guys and more experienced inmates get assigned to A Wing which is a little quieter.
As we passed every inmate, unmistakable in their khaki uniform and green jacket Shane greeted them by name, they all returned the greeting earnestly. After what felt like 12 left turns we arrived in the B wing, to bunk 25. I was introduced to my cell mate, or "celly" Mike who I was told only arrived here a week ago from a camp in Lexington.
Mike is easily 280-290 lbs so he clearly had the bottom bunk. I would take the top bunk. Trying to take in the sights, sounds, and smells, I noted that I may have been lucky to get Mike as a celly, his cell was fairly tidy, he seemed mature and respectful. I felt at ease with Mike, which is a good thing to feel when you are going to be living with someone in such close quarters. Once Shane dropped me off at bunk 25 he was off. I was left standing like a deer in the headlights.
Nearly immediately Mike was handing me some Cup-O-Noodle Chicken Soups and a water bottle. I didn't know if this was some sort of loan that would need to be paid back or what, but as I had literally nothing but the newbie uniform I took the handout and made a note to repay him when possible.
L0la L33tz
Then from across the aisle, Dave introduced himself, - on the outside a former family doctor, on the inside a jovial older man always cracking dry sarcastic jokes - and handed me a can of Coke, some Mrs.. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies, some more Cup-O-Noodles and some other goodies. This procession of introductions and offering of gifts continued for nearly half an hour. It became clear these weren't loans to be repaid but acts of kindness by gentlemen who remembered what their first night in prison was like, and who presumably were helped by someone in a way they are now passing on to me.
Eventually word had got around the camp - they call the gossip network "inmate.com" - that a new guy arrived. Soon I had visitors from other Wings in the Bates Unit.
One gentleman had an entire collection of sweat shirts and sweat pants. He sized me up and handed me a pair as well as some short sleeve and long sleeve grey shirts. Finally he looked at my feet taking note of the cheap flat slip ons that they give you during intake, asked my shoe size, I told him 12.5, after some rummaging he found a pair of sneakers size 11 and handed them to me.
He explained that when someone leaves (either to go home or a transfer to a new institution) he collects the clothing they leave behind, he washes it, and then stores it to hand out to newbies with nothing - otherwise they will be scooped up by less altruistic characters and be sold in the underground economy.
Saying our goodbyes and expressing my sincere gratitude to be able to get out of the uncomfortable temporary uniform and into something way more comfortable I met another prisoner, Omar, a very friendly former pulmonary specialist in his 70s, one of several practicing Muslims and one of several highly skilled doctors. He provided me some toiletries, a bag of instant coffee, a bag of creamer, pens, paper, and his wisdom on navigating this new environment. Very importantly he offered to show me the ropes at dinner time which would be called momentarily.
While we waited to be called for dinner time Omar introduced me to several of his friends, mostly doctors and highly educated scientists. Once dinner was called we made the 10 minute walk from Bates Unit to the "Chow Hall", they were serving lasagna which was surprisingly good and offered in a generous portion size. It was served with a side of iceberg lettuce and boiled spinach. The lettuce was fine with the bright orange colored (and expired) "French dressing" that was offered in small packets. The boiled spinach needed salt and was quite difficult to eat.
It seemed like I had just sat down to eat when they called over the intercom that dinner was now closed. I will need to eat much quicker than I am used to.
L0la L33tz
When I returned to my bunk I met another neighbor, Hasan, a young Muslim, well groomed, fit, tidy and friendly. He introduced himself, gifted me a white cotton t-shirt and a pair of grey gym shorts. I hung around on my bunk, not really knowing what to do. I knew there would be a final count - where we need to stand up silently by our beds and be counted by guards - at 9:00PM which would then be lights out until the morning.
I frankly was very tired and wished I could go to sleep right then, but I forced myself to stay awake until after the 9:00PM count occurred. Thankfully they turned the lights off right after the count, after brushing my teeth I climbed into the bunk, ready to call it a night. No one else was on that schedule however, and the housing unit was wide awake, loud, and buzzing with activity.
I would have to get used to the noise. Eventually I fell asleep. I slept fairly well, but woke up early around 2:30 AM. Thanking God that Omar had gifted me coffee, I enjoyed a hot cup when I woke up and throughout the morning.
Over the next several days I would meet new people, learn new tactics for surviving this very alien environment, and make several new friends along the way. While not at all comfortable, it is manageable. While I rather be at home with my wife and family, there are far worse places I could have ended up. I am thankful that all the prisoners here are respectful and downright friendly. I am thankful that the staff and CO's seem to be also be respectful provided you don't give them a reason not to be.
This letter recounts the first day on the inside, December 19th. As I write this it is December 24th, Christmas Eve.
Tomorrow will be the 7th day I have spent in FPC Morgantown. I will be having my first visitor, my wife. I am beyond excited to see her. I will continue writing the story as it happens and as I am able.
Keonne Rodriguez
Write to Keonne:
Keonne Rodriguez
11404-511
FPC Morgantown
FEDERAL PRISON CAMP
P.O. BOX 1000
MORGANTOWN, WV 26507
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