Nellis inmate numbers to grow

The population at the Federal Prison Camp at Nellis Air Force Base is expected to increase 28 percent by the end of the year with the development of a new drug-treatment program.

Only 38 federal prisons nationwide have a similar inmate drug program. With Nellis becoming the 39th, it would receive other federal prisoners residing in facilities that do not have the program.

There are 435 inmates at the Nellis minimum-security prison and the number is expected to increase to 555 when the new program is in place.

The Nellis Federal Prison Camp was chosen for the program following a 1997 call by President Clinton for an increase in drug treatment for federal prisoners.

Jeryl Kochera, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Federal Prisons at Nellis, said that the new, 500-hour "comprehensive residential drug-treatment program" will soon be in place.

About 120 inmates will be housed in what used to be a dormitory, but is now the camp's administrative offices, Kochera said.

"We hope to dedicate the building by the end of November and start the first program shortly thereafter," Kochera said.

The program places a strong emphasis on personal responsibility and the development of positive social behavior. Once participants graduate, they spend six months in a halfway house, According to the Bureau of Prisons.

To qualify, the inmate must have a documented history of substance abuse for at least one year prior to the offense he committed, Kochera said. He also can't have a criminal history that included violence or weapons offenses.

"Those who successfully complete the program can get up to one year off their sentences," Kochera said.

About 4,300 inmates are participating in the program now and more than 5,200 are on a waiting list, Dyan Griffin, Federal Bureau of Prison public information officer, said.

The program will be staffed by a psychologist and five substance abuse treatment specialists, Griffin said.

"President Clinton wants to ensure that people who have a substance abuse problem take care of it so that when they are released they don't still have it," Kochera said.

Most of Nellis' current inmates have been convicted of drug offenses or white-collar crimes, Kochera said. They range in age from 19 to 70 and their average sentence is five years.

The news of the expansion apparently has not set well with someone. The Sun received a phony press release Thursday purportedly from Warden Glenn Trammel claiming 350 new drug offenders were being transferred to the camp.

The "news release" stated prison officials were instituting truck patrols and otherwise gearing up for gang-related problems, drug smuggling and security problems "which may affect the adjacent nuclear weapons depot."

Trammel, Griffin and Kochera said the release did not come from Trammel or any other staff member of the Bureau of Prisons.

"It's absolutely bogus," Griffin said. "I wouldn't say it is accurate whatsoever -- maybe the period at the end. Oh, and they spelled the warden's name correctly."

Trammel said he planned to contact the FBI to investigate the source of the letter, which he said he took as a personal attack.

"I'm going to pursue this legally," Trammel said. "I personally feel slandered. This was not about the Bureau of Prisons, it's about Glenn Trammel."

Trammel said his prison does not have the problems suggested in the press release and will not even when the new inmates arrive.

Griffin said she suspects the press release was sent by an inmate, but can't fathom why.

"Why does an inmate do anything?" Griffin said. "But, none of it is true. It's only true if it comes from me, Trammel or (regional director Peter M.) Carlson."

FBI Special Agent Kevin Caudle said the bureau has yet to hear from the Bureau of Prisons.

"But, at this point it doesn't appear there's been any violation of federal law that would be prosecuted," Caudle said.

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