U.S. Penitentiary · Pine Knot, Kentucky
USP McCreary
- Security level
- High + minimum camp
- Medical care level
- 2 of 4
- Mental health care level
- 2 of 4
- Population
- 1,478
- Phone
- 606-354-7000
Last checked: November 3, 2026 (BOP documents for this prison) Intel last checked: November 3, 2026 BOP status updated: Nov 3, 2026, 9:10 pm ET News updated: Nov 3, 2026, 9:31 am ET
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McCreary at a glance
USP McCreary is a high-security penitentiary in Pine Knot, Kentucky, with a minimum-security satellite camp (SCP). The main prison is the second right after you enter the grounds; the camp parking is straight ahead past the penitentiary.
- How many people
- 1,358 in the USP and 120 at the camp (BOP, October 29, 2026).
- Medical care level 2
- Stable outpatients who need to see a clinician anywhere from monthly to every 6 months. Examples the BOP gives: diabetes controlled with medication, epilepsy, emphysema. Click here to read the source: BOP "Institution Care Levels for Medical Assignment," February 13, 2024 (released under FOIA 2024-03455) ↗
- Mental health care level 2
- Routine outpatient mental health care, or short crisis care such as suicide watch. The BOP does not post care levels on its website. This list is dated February 13, 2024 and came out through a public records request. Click here to read the source: BOP "Institution Care Levels for Medical Assignment," February 13, 2024 (released under FOIA 2024-03455) ↗
- Capacity
- The PREA audit lists a capacity of 1,408 at the penitentiary and 116 at the camp. The average population over the year before was 1,450 at the penitentiary and 83 at the camp. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, USP McCreary (onsite April 29 to May 1, 2025) ↗
- Ages
- Penitentiary: 21 to 81. Camp: 22 to 74. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, USP McCreary (onsite April 29 to May 1, 2025) ↗
- Average stay
- Penitentiary: 666.1 days. Camp: 351.1 days. Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, USP McCreary (onsite April 29 to May 1, 2025) ↗
How far is it from you?
Driving directions (Google Maps) → Bus or train (Google Maps) →
Plan your drive around this: No one is let in after 2:00 p.m. Visitors are told at 2:45 p.m., and all visits end at 3:00 p.m. There is a recorded line about visiting status: call 606-354-7000, extension 7002.
Our miles and time are an estimate from your ZIP code's center. Google Maps gives the exact route. Your ZIP code never leaves your phone unless you tap a Google Maps button.
Visiting hours and days
| Who | Days | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Penitentiary (USP) | Saturday, Sunday and federal holidays | 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Satellite camp (SCP) | Saturday, Sunday and federal holidays. Outside visiting is allowed only at the camp. | 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
No one is let in after 2:00 p.m. Visitors are told at 2:45 p.m., and all visits end at 3:00 p.m. There is a recorded line about visiting status: call 606-354-7000, extension 7002.
The visiting rules list no other regular visiting days. Click here to read the source: MCR-5267.09e, Visiting (January 24, 2022) ↗
The BOP's own papers disagree. The visiting rules are from January 24, 2022 and the handbook from January 2013. Both are old. Call the visiting status line (606-354-7000, extension 7002) or the prison before you drive.
The rules at the door: ID, points, what you can bring
- How many people
- No more than 4 visitors at a time, including children under 16. Ordinarily a visit involves one inmate; a visitor related to more than one inmate needs written approval from the Unit Manager. Click here to read the source: MCR-5267.09e, Visiting (January 24, 2022) ↗
- Children
- Children under 16 must be with a responsible adult who is an authorized visitor. A 16 or 17-year-old without a parent, guardian or immediate family member (18 or older, on the approved list) needs that person's written approval, mailed to the prison before the visit. Click here to read the source: MCR-5267.09e, Visiting (January 24, 2022) ↗
- ID
- Everyone 16 or older needs valid government photo ID. Click here to read the source: MCR-5267.09e, Visiting (January 24, 2022) ↗
- Money for vending machines
- One clear quart-size zip-top bag with no more than $40.00 in change. Click here to read the source: MCR-5267.09e, Visiting (January 24, 2022) ↗
- What you can carry
- A clear quart-size zip-top bag with change, diapers, clear baby bottles and sanitary supplies. Only unopened store-bought baby food. No other food, juice or water bottles. No diaper bags. Purses, food, hats, pictures and games stay in your car. Lockers are available in the front lobby on request. Click here to read the source: MCR-5267.09e, Visiting (January 24, 2022) ↗
- Dress code
- Women must wear a bra and other undergarments. No sexually provocative clothes. Women may not wear skirts ending more than two inches above the knee, halter tops, sleeveless shirts, tank tops, backless shirts or dresses, body suits, yoga or exercise pants, hip huggers, wrap-around skirts or see-through clothes. Men and women may not wear shorts, sweat pants, athletic jump suits, camouflage or khaki clothes, or open-toe shoes such as flip flops. Anyone dressed wrong is asked to leave. Click here to read the source: MCR-5267.09e, Visiting (January 24, 2022) ↗
- Touching
- A kiss and an embrace only at the beginning and at the end of the visit. Click here to read the source: MCR-5267.09e, Visiting (January 24, 2022) ↗
- Search
- Everything entering the penitentiary is searched by the front lobby officer. Visitors may also be asked to submit to a pat search. Click here to read the source: MCR-5267.09e, Visiting (January 24, 2022) ↗
- Leaving
- Once the visit starts, you may not leave the facility and come back to the visiting room. Click here to read the source: MCR-5267.09e, Visiting (January 24, 2022) ↗
- When it gets crowded
- Visits may be cut to two hours a day. Distance traveled and how often someone visits are among the factors. Click here to read the source: MCR-5267.09e, Visiting (January 24, 2022) ↗
- Children's play area
- There is a children's play room with board games to check out. Inmates are never allowed in it. Click here to read the source: MCR-5267.09e, Visiting (January 24, 2022) ↗
How to get on the visiting list
- At admission they give staff a list of people they want to visit. Staff review it with them and tell them who is approved or denied. If someone is denied, they are told the reason.
- Normally all immediate family (wife, children, parents, brothers and sisters) are approved. Friends with a criminal history are not ordinarily approved.
- The rules say a form is mailed to each visitor. The form name and number are not given in the McCreary papers (the BOP national form is BP-A0629; unconfirmed here).
- They tell you if you are approved. Do not drive until you are approved.
- No more than 10 friends and associates can be on the list, and friends must have known them before prison.
- They can ask to change the list once every 3 months. Unit Managers can approve extra changes case by case.
Driving directions (from the BOP)
- From US 27
- Turn onto KY-92 and travel east. Turn left on KY-1044. A green road sign saying "United States Penitentiary" is just before this turn. Go about one mile on KY-1044 and the penitentiary is on your left. On the grounds, the penitentiary parking area is the second right. The camp parking area is straight ahead past the penitentiary, on your left. The institution phone number is 606-354-7000.
Street address for your GPS: 330 Federal Way, Pine Knot, Ky 42635. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
The BOP beats to its own drum. The front desk has the final say. Keep a spare outfit in the car.
USP McCreary
Official rules (PDF) No Spanish version posted
4 years old. Ask your loved one to check the copy posted in the unit before you drive.
| Skirts and dresses | Skirts no more than two inches above the knee. |
|---|---|
| Shorts | Adult visitors may not wear shorts. |
| Colors to avoid | No khaki colored clothing. |
| Leggings, spandex | No yoga/exercise pants (attachment version). No body suits or hip huggers. |
| Bras and metal | Undergarments must be made of material that passes screening. Female visitors must wear a brassiere, no exceptions. |
| Camouflage, military | No camouflage clothing. |
| Shoes | No open toe shoes. No flip flops. |
| Children | Shorts/sweats/khaki ban stated for adult visitors only. |
All 20 rules, in the BOP's own words
Length and fit
- Skirts no more than two inches above the knee.
may not wear skirts ending ~ore than two inches above the knee, halter tops,
- Adult visitors may not wear shorts.
Adult visitors (r:,ale/female) will net be permitted to wear shorts,
- No sleeveless shirts or tank tops for women.
s1eeveless shirts, tank tops, bacidess sh.jrts/dresses, body suits, hip huggers,
- No halter tops or backless shirts/dresses.
halter tops, s1eeveless shirts, tank tops, bacidess sh.jrts/dresses, body suits, hip huggers,
- No see-through clothing.
wrap-around skirts, or see-through clot:iing.
- No body suits or hip huggers.
body suits, hip huggers,
- No yoga/exercise pants (attachment version).
shirts/dresses, body suits, yoga/exercise pants, hip huggers, wrap-around skirts, or see-
- No sweat pants or athletic jump suits.
sweat pants, athletic jump suits, camoufJ.age or khaki
Colors and uniforms
- No khaki colored clothing.
camoufJ.age or khaki colored clothing,
- No camouflage clothing.
sweat pants, athletic jump suits, camoufJ.age or khaki colored clothing,
Bras, underwear and metal
- Female visitors must wear a brassiere, no exceptions.
Female visitors must wear a brassiere and other undergarments without exception.
- Female visitors must wear undergarments, no exceptions.
brassiere and other undergarments without exception.
- Undergarments must be made of material that passes screening.
These items must be made of a material that will allow the visitor to pass the screening process.
Shoes
- No open toe shoes.
or open toe shoes (i.e., flip flops).
- No flip flops.
or open toe shoes (i.e., flip flops).
Hats, hoods and coats
- Hats should be left in the vehicle.
Purses, food, hats, pictures, games, etc., should be secured in your vehicle.
Children
- Shorts/sweats/khaki ban stated for adult visitors only.
Adult visitors (r:,ale/female) will net
Everything else
- No sexually provocative clothing.
Visitors wearing sexually provocative clothing will be
- No wrap-around skirts.
wrap-around skirts, or see-through clot:iing.
If they say no
- Anyone not appropriately dressed will be asked to leave.
Any individual not appropriately dressed will be asked to leave the institution.
Inmate mailing address
JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES Reg. No. 12345-678 USP McCreary P.O. Box 3000 Pine Knot, Ky 42635
The mailing address is on the Mail tab. Ask your loved one if they are at the penitentiary or the camp, and for their unit. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
The camp uses the same P.O. Box.
Use the P.O. Box only. Never mail to the street address (330 Federal Way, Pine Knot, Ky 42635).
- Money
- Never put money in a letter to the prison. Use the BOP lockbox in Des Moines (see the Money tab). Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
- Other mail rules
- The McCreary handbook is from 2013 and we did not find current envelope, card or paper rules. Call the prison before you send photos, cards or packages. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
Books and magazines: at a high security prison, books and magazines must come straight from a publisher, book club or bookstore (Amazon, for example), never from home.
How to send money to an inmate here
Money never goes to McCreary. It goes to the BOP, and the BOP puts it on their account. There are 3 ways. Each one below shows you the actual form and exactly what to write in each box, already filled in with their name and number.
First, they must sign the power-of-attorney form (BP-A0407) when they arrive. Until they do, MoneyGram and Western Union money cannot post. Click here to read the source: Program Statement 4500.13, Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual (May 7, 2026) ↗
1. Postal money order Our pick
"Postal" means the U.S. Post Office. A postal money order is one you buy at the counter of a U.S. Post Office, from the United States Postal Service. Money orders sold at Walmart, a grocery store, a bank, Western Union, MoneyGram or a check-cashing store are not postal money orders.
Why it matters: a postal money order has no hold. Once the BOP's lockbox in Des Moines gets it, it goes on their account. Every other money order and every personal or company check is put on a 15-day hold first, and the 15 days only start when the lockbox receives the envelope. Add the days it spends in the mail, and it can be close to three weeks before they can spend it.Click here to read the source: BOP, Sending money by U.S. mail ↗ Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗ Foreign money orders and checks are held 45 days. The postal money order is also the cheapest way.
The Post Office's own steps
- Decide the amount. Up to $1,000 in one money order.
- Go to any Post Office.
- Bring cash or a debit card. The Post Office does not take credit cards for money orders.
- Fill it out at the counter with the clerk. Use the boxes below.
- Pay the amount plus the fee: $2.65 for up to $500, $3.75 for $500.01 to $1,000.
- Keep your receipt. You need it to track the money order or replace it if it is lost.Click here to read the source: U.S. Postal Service, Money Orders ↗
- Pay toJOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONEStheir committed name, exactly as the BOP Inmate Locator shows it
- Address (under Pay to)Federal Bureau of Prisons, P.O. Box 474701, Des Moines, IA 50947-0001
- FromMARIA SMITH-JONESyour name
- Address (under From)123 Main Street, Trenton, NJ 08608your address
- MemoReg. No. 12345678their 8-digit register number, no dash
Unconfirmed: the BOP does not say in writing what goes on the "Pay to" line. Their name is what families use. The name and number on the envelope are what the BOP requires.
123 Main Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Federal Bureau of Prisons JOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES 12345678 Post Office Box 474701 Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001
Lost it? Tracking and replacing a money order
- Keep the receipt. You need the serial number, post office number and amount to track it at tools.usps.com/money-orders.htm.
- Lost or stolen: take the receipt to any post office and ask for a Money Order Inquiry. It costs $23 and can take up to 60 days.
2. MoneyGram
Posts in about 2 to 4 hours if sent 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern, any day. Up to $300 per payment. In a store, you fill out the blue ExpressPayment form. This is the BOP's own filled-in sample:
- Company NameFederal Bureau of Prisons
- City & StateWashington, DC
- Receive Code7932always the same
- Account Number of the Bill to Pay12345678SMITHJONESone letter or number per box
- Amount to Payup to $300
- Message to Biller or Beneficiary NameJOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES
Top section: your own name, address, phone and signature. Pay cash. Keep the receipt with the reference number.
Unconfirmed: some stores now type it into a screen instead of using the paper form. The boxes are the same.
Doing it online or in the MoneyGram app instead
- Go to moneygram.com (Pay Bills) or the MoneyGram app and log in or sign up.
- Search the biller 7932 or "Federal Bureau of Prisons."
- Enter the amount (up to $300) and the account number
12345678SMITHJONES. - Pay with a debit or credit card. A credit card can charge a cash-advance fee.
3. Western Union
Posts in about 2 to 4 hours. In a store, ask for the Quick Collect form ("To Send Money Form for Bill Payments"). Do not ask for a regular money transfer. This is a real Quick Collect form filled in with the BOP's values:
- Dollar Amountyour amount
- Pay toFederal Bureau of Prisons
- Code CityFBOP, DC
- AttentionJOHN ANTHONY SMITH-JONES
- Account # with Company (in the SENDER section: this is where people get lost)12345678SMITHJONES
Leave Promo Code blank. Put your own name, phone and address in the rest of the Sender section and sign at 3. Pay cash (some stores take debit). You get a 10-digit tracking number (MTCN). Keep it.
Unconfirmed: some stores have the blue Quick Collect form, some a "Pay a Bill" section, and some a phone to an agent.
Doing it online (Send2Corrections), screen by screen
You need a photo ID to set up the account: your name must match your ID exactly.
- Go to send2corrections.com or the Send2Corrections app. Log in or register.
- "Who are you sending to?" Choose the facility Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP DC).
- Receiver first name, middle name (optional), last name: exactly as the BOP has it.
- Commissary number: type only the 8 digits,
12345678. No dash, no name. The site adds the last name itself and shows the full account number in a grey box you cannot type in. - Ignore the pop-up that says "BOP number will not work." That text shows for every prison. The register number is what works.
- Amount: $1 to $300. Pay by card, or choose "Pay Cash (in-store)" and pay at a Western Union counter within 12 hours, or it cancels.
Hyphenated last name? The site drops the hyphen: Smith-Jones becomes 12345678SMITHJONES.
Money sent to the wrong person is not returned by Western Union. Western Union payments cannot be changed after they are sent.
Commissary: what they can spend
The McCreary handbook (January 2013) says the monthly spending limit is $320.00, reset monthly based on register number, and that they can hold $24.60 in stamps (60). National BOP policy (PS 4500.13, May 7, 2026) now sets $460 a month, plus $50 more in November and December. The handbook is old and may not match the current limit. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗ Click here to read the source: Program Statement 4500.13, Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual (May 7, 2026) ↗
How shopping works at McCreary
- Their spending limit is validated once a month based on their register number.
- The printed list says prices are subject to change and that all sales are final once they leave the sales window.
The price list: McCreary's official list is a scan or an older layout we could not turn into a reliable searchable list, so we don't retype prices we can't be sure of. Click here to read the source: USP McCreary Commissary list (undated) ↗
Phone calls and email
- Minutes
- 300 minutes a month on the TRUFONE phones, as debit or collect calls. The count resets on their validation date. Each call is limited to 15 minutes. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
- Emergencies
- For an emergency call they ask their unit staff. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
- Rules
- Calls are monitored. Replacing a lost phone access code costs $5.00. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
They have to add your number and email to their list first. Emails come through CorrLinks: you get an invitation by email once they add you.
Health care at McCreary
Medical care level 2 and mental health care level 2 (of 4). Stable outpatients who need to see a clinician anywhere from monthly to every 6 months. Examples the BOP gives: diabetes controlled with medication, epilepsy, emphysema. Click here to read the source: BOP "Institution Care Levels for Medical Assignment," February 13, 2024 (released under FOIA 2024-03455) ↗
- Sick call at the penitentiary
- They put a written request in the sick call box in the green corridor every day during the breakfast meal, except Wednesdays. A nurse triages it and they are put on call-out for the following Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
- Sick call at the camp
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, between 6:30 a.m. and 7:15 a.m. or 10 a.m. They must show their commissary ID card. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
- No sick call
- Not on Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday or holidays. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
- Co-pay
- A $2.00 fee for visits they ask for, including sick call. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
- Special Housing Unit
- Health services staff make rounds there every morning. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
Programs
- Challenge Program (residential)
- A nine-month to one-year program in unit 6B, run like a therapeutic community, for men who want to change their lifestyle. The First Step Act guide lists McCreary. They send a cop-out to the Challenge Program Coordinator. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
- RDAP (drug program; can mean up to a year off for those eligible)
- The handbook says McCreary does not have RDAP, but staff can refer people who meet all the requirements. They send a request to Psychology Services. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
- Education
- Academic and vocational programs from Adult Literacy up, computer-based training, parenting and apprenticeship programs. Click here to read the source: USP/SCP McCreary Admission and Orientation Handbook (revised January 2013) ↗
The BOP's First Step Act guide (May 2026) lists McCreary for the residential Challenge Program. McCreary is not on the BOP's RDAP list (updated June 4, 2026). Click here to read the source: First Step Act Approved Programs Guide (May 2026) ↗
Safety record
Criminal cases at McCreary
- September 2, 2026Headline: "Inmate at Kentucky penitentiary sentenced for stabbing cellmate dozens of times." We could not open the article text; our search tied it to USP McCreary, but the headline does not name the prison. (WCHS)
- April 30, 2026Headline: "ISIL recruiter found guilty of trying to kill a cellmate in a Kentucky prison". We could not open the article text; the headline does not name the prison, so the link to McCreary is unconfirmed. (Lexington Herald Leader)
Deaths announced by the BOP
- February 16, 2026A 33-year-old man died after staff responded to several inmates fighting at about 11:30 a.m. They were taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. Two other inmates were taken to a hospital for evaluation and one employee was hurt. The FBI was notified. Click here to read the source: BOP press release, "Death at USP McCreary," February 17, 2026 ↗
- January 19, 2021A 74-year-old man who had tested positive for COVID-19 in December 2020 and was cleared as recovered became unresponsive and was pronounced dead at a hospital. Click here to read the source: BOP press release, "Inmate Death at USP McCreary," August 30, 2021 ↗
- December 24, 2020A 51-year-old man who had tested positive for COVID-19 was pronounced dead at a hospital. The BOP said they had long-term medical conditions that are risk factors for severe COVID-19. Click here to read the source: BOP press release, "Inmate Death at USP McCreary," December 28, 2020 ↗
These are deaths the BOP announced in a press release. A news headline from November 2024 (WYMT, WBKO) reports another death at USP McCreary that we found no BOP release for. The BOP does not publish a full count of deaths at each prison, so this is not a total.
Sexual abuse audit (PREA)
The last federal sexual-abuse (PREA) audit visited McCreary April 29 to May 1, 2025. Result: 0 standards exceeded, 45 met, 0 not met. In the 12 months before the audit, McCreary recorded 4 sexual-abuse allegations (3 against other inmates, 1 against staff) and sexual-harassment allegations (5 against other inmates and 6 against staff, as the report's table prints them). Click here to read the source: PREA audit report, USP McCreary (onsite April 29 to May 1, 2025) ↗
An allegation is a report, not a finding. The audit counts reports made, not what investigators concluded.
News about McCreary
- Inmate dies at USP McCrearyWYMT · Nov 21, 2024
Stories from news outlets that name USP McCreary, checked every day. Last updated Nov 3, 2026, 9:31 am ET. We link to the original story; we did not write these.
Intel from the Inside
Intel last checked: November 3, 2026
Reports from people inside, in their own words. It is how the place really runs, not official policy, and it can change. We never publish names.
No Intel reported for McCreary yet.
Know something about McCreary that families should know? Tell Scooter. Our team checks every report before it goes up, and we never publish names.