Federal inmates being moved from Meck jail over pay dispute with US Marshals

CHARLOTTE — Federal inmates are being moved from the Uptown Mecklenburg County Detention Center to a private prison in Georgia, Channel 9 has learned.

Federal public defenders were notified Wednesday that effective this week, the jail will no longer house federal prisoners, according to an email obtained by Channel 9′s Joe Bruno.

The decision by the U.S. Marshals Service comes after its Prisoner Operations Division wouldn’t agree with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office’s proposed rate hike.

The sheriff’s office said it proposed a rate increase from $160 to $191 per day. Its current rate was set on June 1, 2020, and is used to pay for “support of one Federal detainee per ‘Federal detainee day,’ which shall include the day of arrival, but not the day of departure.”

According to the 2020 agreement, a rate adjustment could be made after two years. MCSO requested the rate increase on Feb. 12, but after reaching out to them several times, the Prisoner Operations Division said on May 10 it wouldn’t support the increase.

In a news release, the sheriff’s office said Sheriff Garry McFadden informed the U.S. Marshals would need to move their inmates -- about 200 people -- within 30 days of the date the letter was sent since they didn’t come to an agreement. After a meeting on July 26 and another letter, the sheriff’s office was informed that the U.S. Marshals would move federal residents to other facilities.

The email Bruno obtained says a group of about 100 people are being moved to the Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility in Lovejoy, Georgia.

MCSO confirmed the marshals moved a total of 143 federal inmates from the jail. 40 federal residents remain and will be relocated to other facilities over the next several days.

“I am disappointed that our efforts to ensure a reasonable rate, based on published federal guidelines and requirements was not accepted,” McFadden said in a statement. “I believe it is not responsibility of the Sheriff’s Office to subsidize the federal government with county resources. We will work with the USMS to ensure a seamless transition of their residents. As always, we are willing to work with the USMS, but we are disappointed at their decision.”

Channel 9 has reached out to the U.S. Marshals for a statement.

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