'The Mattresses Are As Thick as The Width of a Hand.' And 5 Other Things to Know About Elizabeth Holmes' Prison. Inside the walls of the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas, where the fallen Silicon Valley star is serving an 11-year sentence.
By Jonathan Small •
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Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes checked into the FPC Bryan facility on Tuesday to begin serving her 11-year sentence for felony, fraud, and conspiracy.
The facility is located in Bryan, Texas, about 100 miles from Houston. It's a minimum-security federal prison camp for women only. Unlike the prisons depicted in shows like Oz or Orange is the New Black, FPC Bryan is for non-violent offenders.
"Sometimes they're called 'Camp Fed' because they have a little bit more amenities, and they're a little nicer places," Keri Axel, a criminal defense attorney told Yahoo News. But she added, "They're not great places. No one wants to be there."
Here is what its newest inmate can expect.
1. Holmes is not the only celebrity inmate
Bryan holds about 720 inmates, mostly in for white-collar crimes, low-level drug offenses, and harboring illegal immigrants, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Holmes is not the only famous face to serve time at Bryan. Another celebrity inmate is "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jen Shah, who was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud earlier this year. Michelle Janavs, an heir to the Hot Pockets fortune, also served time there in 2020 after being convicted of a college admissions scandal.
2. She'll sleep on a very thin mattress
The residential hall boasts four housing units, which open at 6 a.m. and close at 10 pm. All inmates must return to their dorms standing bedside at 4 p.m. and 10 pm on weekdays and 10 am, 4 pm, and 10 pm on weekends and holidays.
According to the WSJ, the cells hold as many as four inmates. Each room has two bunk beds with mattresses "about as thick as the width of a hand," inmates told WSJ.
Reportedy, inmates have mixed feelings about Holmes
"Some people are like, 'I want to be her friend,'" Tasha Wade, a current inmate, told WSJ. "But other people are like, 'I can't believe that's all she got for taking all that money.'"
Holmes will be expected to keep her room clean. There is no maid service. Each inmate is responsible for making her bed, sweeping and mopping her room floor, and removing trash. Inmates can be fined for making a mess.
3. Holmes can make up to $1.15 an hour
All inmates, who have been medically cleared, will get a regular job assignment, including food service and factory jobs. According to the inmate handbook, workers can earn between 12 cents and $1.15 per hour in their job assignments.
4. She'll be able to maintain her vegan diet
Holmes is a vegan. She is said to have adopted this diet because it enabled her to work late without sleep. So it may come as some relief to her that Bryan offers a no-flesh dining option. Inmates can also cook for themselves using kitchen ingredients and inventive cooking methods, inmates told WSJ.
5. Families can visit on weekends
Holmes can expect to see her family on weekends and holidays. Because she grew up in Houston, her parents live relatively close. Holmes also has two children — a baby and a toddler — who can visit her in the prison's play area. Kids under 10 can sit on their parent's laps, and women can breastfeed babies during visits.
