EFTA00141239.pdf

INTRODUCTION My name is and I am a Senior Special Agent with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office, and these are my credentials (Show credentials} This interview with Federal Bureau of Prisons Lieutenant is being conducted as part of an official U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ O16) investigation. Today's date is July 12, 2021. The time is This interview is being conducted at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Danbury located in Danbury, CT. Also present is DOJ OIG Special Agent (identify all persons present, including union representatives, attorneys, and other agents). This interview will be recorded by me, SSA Could everyone please identify themselves for the record and spell your last name? To start, again, I am DOJ OIG Senior Special Agent (spell last name) DOJ OIG witness: Interviewee: Attorney: SUBJECT This is an official DOJ OIG investigation into the death of inmate Jeffrey Epstein and the surrounding circumstances and you are being asked to voluntarily provide answers our questions. Will you agree to a voluntary interview with the DOJ OIG? Please review DOJ OIG Form III - 226/2. (Read the form aloud and allow the interviewee and her representative time to read it.) Do you understand the OIG form? OATH Before starting the interview, I would like to place you under oath. Lt. can you please raise your right hand? EFTA00141239 Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth during this interview? INTERVIEW Please let me know if you don't understand any question, and I'll repeat it or try to rephrase it. Okay? What is your current home address? What is your DOB? What is your SSN? What is your current cell phone number? What is your highest level of education? What did you do prior to working for the BOP? Do you have any military service? How long have you served with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)? When was your Enter on Duty date? When did you graduate from BOP training? When and where was your first office assignment with the BOP? What positions have you held with the BOP? What is your current position with the BOP? EFTA00141240 What was you position at the MCC on August 9 and 10, 2019? What shift did you work on August 9'h and August 101h? (Show staff roster and LT's log) What time did you work? (6 am to 2 pm or 8 am to 4 pm) Who did you primarily work with? Who was your supervisor? As the Act Lieutenant, what were your duties and responsibilities? When you came on shift that day, who were you replacing? Did you communicate with the person before they left for the day? What does this communication entail? (Show assignment roster) When you left, who replaced you? Did you communicate with that person? What did those communications entail? Jeffrey Epstein Are you familiar with Jeffrey Epstein? Did you work in or visit the SHU while Epstein was assigned to the SHU in July and August of 2019? Did Epstein have a cellmate? Who? Was there a reason why Epstein was assigned a cellmate? Were you aware that Epstein had attempted to commit suicide on July 231d? Were you one of the responding officers? Explain what transpired. Was Epstein placed on suicide watch or psych observation? When was he removed from suicide watch? Why? EFTA00141241 What does suicide watch entail? What does psych observation entail? Did you receive instructions from anyone regarding Epstein being assigned a cellmate? By whom? How? Did you receive instructions from Captain Darden? Were you instructed to communicate those instructions to anyone else? Did you receive any written communication regarding Epstein needing to be assigned a cellmate? Did you receive an email from Psych instructing that Epstein needed a cellmate? (Show email) Did you communicate that requirement to anybody else? COs working in the SHU? Did you have any conversations with anyone in the SHU about Epstein and his cellmate requirement? Supervisors on August 9, 2019 Referring to the Daily Assignment Roster, who were the MCC supervisors on duty with responsibility for overseeing the SHU on August 9 2019? Show staff roster shows the following Captain 8/9/19 8am to 4pm Captain Sec : 8/9/19 8am to 4pm Lt. : not on schedule for 8/9 & 8/10 - The SHU LT who stated that a BOP psychologist said that Epstein must be housed with a cellmate when he returned to the SHU) Lt. 8/9/19 midnight to 8am & 8/10/19 Midnight to 8am — OPS LT both days Lt. 8/9/19 8am to 4pm OPS LT Lt. 8/9/19 4pm to midnight — 4pm to midnight Lt. J. 8/9/19 6am to 2pm ACT LT Lt. : 8/10/19 5:30am to 1:30pm Lt. : 8/10/19 4pm to midnight What communications did you have with _LTs with regard to Epstein being housed within MCC and/or the MCC SHU? Did ever provide you with special instructions with regard to Epstein? EFTA00141242 Did the SHU? ever tell you that Epstein was required to have a cellmate while he was assigned to Are LT's responsible to conduct counts or rounds during their shift in the SHU? If yes, who was responsible? Did you conduct any counts or rounds in the SHU on August 9, 2019? If so, what did that entail? If not, why not? Who was in the SHU during your shift on August 9, 2019? CO : 8/9 midnight to 8am SHU # 1 CO : 8/9 8am to 4pm SHU #1 CO : 8/9 4pm to midnight SHU U 1 CO Michael Thomas: 8/9 midnight to 8am SHU # 2 & 8/10 Midnight to 8am SHU # 2 CO Tova Noel: 8/9 4pm to midnight SHU # 2 & 8/10 midnight to 8am SHU # 1 CO 8/9/19 6am to 2pm SHU # 3 CO 8/9/19 2pm to 10 pm SHU # 4 CO 8/9/19 6am to 2pm SHU # 4 SOS : 8/9/19 Acting LT 2pm to 10pm & 8/10/19 8am to 4pm SHU # 2 What communications did you have with with regard to Epstein being housed within MCC and/or the MCC SHU? Did you speak to assigned to the SHU? Is unit/tier and time? Inmate with regard to Epstein being required to have a cellmate while he was responsible to conduct any counts or rounds during their shift? Is yes, which When did you become aware that inmate was removed from the MCC on August 9, 2019? (Show memo related to 1:50 call WAB) Did you inform that was WAB? If so, what was said? If not, who did or would have? What conversations did you have with about EFTA00141243 What conversation did you have with Ops LT about on August 9, 2019? Did you receive the call at 1:50 saying was WAB? If so, from whom, what was said, and what did you do with the info? If not, who would have received that notification and how would have it been made? What do you know about being removed from the MCC and being released from BOP custody? (Explain in detail conversations and notifications with regard to August 9) Were you ever instructed on what actions should be taken if was removed as Epstein's cellmate? If so, from whom and what were the actions to be taken? If not, what actions should have been taken? Looking at the staff roster from Aug 9 and 10, 2019, who was responsible for assigning Epstein another cellmate? How soon after the WAB notification was made? Counts & Rounds Did you conduct any counts or rounds in the SHU during your shift on August 9th? If so, when and which employees did you interact with? (show count slips and round sheet) Why do COs have to conduct counts and rounds? Are cell counts and rounds documented? If so, how and when? Do all COs who work in the SHU know how to properly conduct and report counts and rounds? If so, how? Who else is responsible for conducting counts and rounds inside the MCC SHU? Lieutenants? Do you sign documents when you conduct counts and rounds? Please review the 30 minute round sheet from Aug 9, 2019. Who signed as the supervisor? What is the purpose of signing the 30 minute round sheet? EFTA00141244 Do you know if the rounds were conducted? If so, how? Did you have any conversations with anything with regard to the rounds on August 9'h? If so, what was said? Are you familiar with the 30 minute round sign that was posted in the SHU with regard to Epstein? (Show sign) Was the sign hanging up in the SHU? If so, where was it hanging, when was it up, who created it, and for what purpose? Do you know if people were conducting rounds of Epstein like the sign said? Please review the counts from August 9'h and show count on Aug 10 at 12 am. Please explain the change in the SHU aka ZA count at 12 am. Do you know if the SHU counts were conducted on August 991? Were the Aug 9 count slips falsified? By whom? How often were counts falsified by staff and was this a common practice in the SHU or other areas of the institution? What conversations did you have with SHU staff who worked on August 9, 2019, including Michael Thomas and Tova Noel, about making entries related to counts and rounds? LT Logs: What is the Daily LT's log? Where can it found/accessed? Are the times accurate? Did you make any entries on the Log? EFTA00141245 What does the log show with regard to Does it show that was removed from the MCC? If so, where? If not, should have it? Does it show that he was taken off the MCC count? Is so, where? If not, should have it? What does it show with regard to inmate Fernandez? Are you able to determine where he came from and if the respective unit count changed? Does the LT log help you determine of the Aug 9 counts were accurate or inaccurate? Cameras: Were any cameras inside the MCC SHU not working on August 9 or 10, 2019? If they weren't, which cameras were not working and do you know when they stopped working? Who was responsible to make sure the cameras were working? Telephone Call: Who is BOP employee On August 9, 2019, when did work and what were his responsibilities? What communications did you have with with regard to Epstein being housed within the MCC SHU? Did you ever provide with special instructions with regard to Epstein? Did you communicate with regarding rounds being conducted in the SHU or Epstein needing a cellmate? Are you aware that allowed Epstein to make a telephone call on the evening of August 9, 2019? EFTA00141246 Who authorized Epstein's telephone call? Was the telephone call made from the shower area? Who plugged the telephone line into the legal line, which is not recorded, and dialed the telephone number that Epstein provided? ( per direction) Was that an authorized practice? Have you heard of or any other COs allowing inmates to make calls using the legal line to people other than attorneys? What is the policy if an inmate needed to make a phone call? Were they allowed to call only certain numbers or could they call anyone they wanted? How did they keep track of the numbers being called? Cell searches What is the MCC policy on conducting sell searches in the SHU? Was is the responsibility of the Ops and Act LTs with regard to SHU cell searches? Were cell searches being conducted in the SHU? (show the one cell search) Should more cell searches have been conducted? If so, who was responsible for conducting them and making sure they were conducted? Was Epstein authorized to have the pills in his cell within the SHU? If not, why were there pill bottles found on the top bunk in Epstein's cell? What is the policy related to what inmates are allowed to have in their cell? Is the SHU policy different than other housing units? EFTA00141247 Were other inmate's in the SHU allowed to have medication in their cell? If so, describe the policy related to this. (dependent upon type of medication, etc.). How many changes of clothing/linens are inmates allowed in the SHU? How many did Epstein have? Was Epstein given special privileges to have extra clothing? If so, by who? Who was responsible for making sure Epstein had the correct amount of clothing and linens? Epstein How was Epstein's interactions with other inmates? When was the last time you interacted with/saw Epstein? What was his state of mind? Did Epstein complain about anything? Inmates? Were any threats made to Epstein? Did you know why Epstein was in prison? Did you have any specific feelings regarding why he was in prison? Did you ever speak with Epstein? If so, what did conversation entail? Were you working when Epstein was found on August 10, 2019? When was your next shift? EFTA00141248 Did you speak with any BOP employees about Epstein's death? What is you understanding of how he died? What do you know about someone else taking Epstein's life? What do you know about others assisting with taking Epstein's life? Did Epstein take his own life? Did Epstein act alone in taking his own life? What would have prevented Epstein's death? (i.e. What actions should have been taken to prevent his death?) What are some of the systemic problems inside the MCC and specifically the SHU that allowed for Epstein to die? Are there any problems or violations occurring inside the MCC that we should be made aware of? EFTA00141249