AMISH SAM UPDATE! Something to DO
Legally, Sam can be moved to a halfway house in Lexington, KY. He is asking us to send the following letter requesting this change.
Letters to be sent to:
Regional Residential Re-Entry Manager (RRRM)
Residential Re-entry Office-Nashville
701 Broadway Street, Suite 124
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-736-5148
AND
Warden Hector Joyner
Federal Satellite Camp Big Sandy
PO Box 2068
Inez, KY 41224
Phone: 606-433-2400
Here are email addresses -- have not tested these but we think they work:
RRRM
CNV/CCM@bop.gov
Warden Joyner
BSY/execassistant@bop.gov
Regional Director
MXRO/ExecAssistant@bop.gov
Sam CC'd these people -- you can CC them, too!
CASE MANAGER SLONE- BIG SANDY CAMP
MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL DIRECTOR 301-317-3100
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
CONGRESSMAN ANDY BARR (this is Sam's Congressman)
ATTORNEY GENERAL BARR
You can call, email and/or write a letter. This request is being seen by hundreds of people here on FB and the 39,000 people who signed the petition! So maybe put on your calendar to do again in a few days.
The aim is for the warden and the RRRM to get the message that we love Sam, we know he's not a threat, we want him back in our community and -- more importantly -- CLOSE TO HIS WIFE, his 14 CHILDREN and 25 GRANDCHILDREN!!!
Thank you for all you do! Here's the letter -- it is written in the first person by Sam. You'll also see a link to a text version, a link to a pdf plus the actual letter below so you can copy and paste.
IF YOU NEED HELP WITH THIS, PLEASE PM/EMAIL ME AND I WILL HELP!!!
It would be good to write a cover letter introducing yourself but not required!
<begin Sam's letter>
------------------------
Dear Sir:
Please consider the following request made by my friend Samuel Girod, ID# 18318-032.
SAM'S LETTER:
As you know, "Inmates are legally eligible to be placed in an RRC at ANY time during their prison sentence". According to the latest memorandum from Kathleen Kenney, Assistant Director and General Counsel for the Bureau of Prisons, "Federal Courts have made clear that RRC's ARE penal or correctional facilities; therefore, "staff cannot automatically deny an inmate's request for transfer to a RRC" and "the request MUST receive individualized consideration".
Additionally, BOP policy states that this request is to be considered "just as any other request for a lower security transfer.”
I was teamed on December 19, 2018 shortly after arriving at Big Sandy Satellite Camp. Therefore, I assume I will be teamed very soon in the near future, at least prior to June 19th, 2019 making this request timely.
This is my official request for consideration of a transfer to the closest RRC facility to my home and release address of Owingsville, KY. According to Asst. Director Kenney and Program Statement 5100.08, there are five (5) criteria to consider when evaluating an inmates transfer to a lower security facility.
"Custody Classification is a procedure whereby an inmate is assigned a level of supervision according to their "Criminal History" and "Institutional Behavior/Adjustment". I have never had any incident reports and was moved from FCI Loretta-Low to FPC Ashland-Camp in August 2018.
Also according to PS 5100.08 the Regional Residential Reentry Manager "determines if a modification is needed", and "then the Warden must approve the transfer once a recommendation has been submitted" by the RRRM. According to this BOP policy, modifications can only occur with the Warden's consent. Finally, "the Regional Director must concur" BUT "the Warden is the deciding official".
In the memorandum, Asst. Director Kenney quotes Program Statement 7310.04 stating that "RRC placement beyond six months should only occur when there are UNUSUAL or EXTRAORDINARY circumstances, and the Regional Director concurs.
THE EXTRAORDINARY AND UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING MY INDIVIDUAL CASE.
I am requesting a transfer to a lower security facility, specifically the RRC in Lexington, KY because of BOTH the particularly unusual and extraordinary circumstances surrounding this request. Mostly involving the expression of my freedom of religion, as I am Amish.
On my original application which you have received, you'll find letters attached, some notarized, from former and current law enforcement officers, including my neighbor, Sidney Coulter, a 31 year corrections(CO) and law enforcement officer, and Sheriff Richard Mack, former Sheriff of Graham County, Arizona. Both have stated in their professional opinions that I am neither a danger to the community nor a flight risk.
Additionally, the BOP does not consider me to be either of these risks according to their own internal classification system. I am classified as minimum security and I have zero(0) security points.
Further, as you will on the notarized statements from two of my close neighbors, former Corrections Officer Coulter and Mr. Charles Perry, they both agree to act as 3rd party custodians on my behalf and ensure to provide any and all transportation needs that may arise, as I am Amish and do not drive.
Please see other letters from Charlie Kissick the Vice President and Chief Lending Officer for Owingsville Bank, and Pastor Lowell Rice of Owingsville First Church of God. Both support my transfer request and speak to my standing in the community of Bath County, Kentucky.
Also please see the additional 16 letters from neighbors and friends in the community that support my transfer to the lower security facility RRC in Lexington, KY.
Finally, please see the two articles written by Sheriff Mack and former AUSA and FBI Agent, now Federal Defender Mark Wohlander. They lay out the unusual circumstances pertaining to my incarceration, regarding my faith and religious beliefs of being Amish.
Also, there are extraordinary circumstances surrounding my case. These extraordinary and unusual circumstances are compelling reasons that support my transfer, that stem mostly from my religious beliefs and practicing my freedom of religion of being Amish.
OUR STORY, OUR FAMILY AND OUR COMMUNITY
My wife of 37 years, Elizabeth and I, along with our 14 children were the first Amish to settle in Bath County, Kentucky. Since then the community has grown to over 70 individual Amish families containing over 600 men, woman, and children. I was undoubtedly the founder of our Amish community of private, peace loving, hardworking, law abiding farmers. English is not our primary language.
This coupled with my Amish upbringing caused me to have significant misunderstandings during the process.
In fact, it is now my belief that these two factors are what led to my incarceration in the firstplace. I have come to realize this in the years since being taken from my family and community and imprisoned. I am continuing to exercise my rights of challenging the unfair sentence in Court proceedings, as well as asking the President for a commutation of my remaining sentence.
As this has become a high profile case it has taken on a life of it's own. I am told there are hundreds of newspaper articles, TV news spots, YouTube videos, and even several different petitions circulating with over 50,000 signatures requesting a Pardon from the President. While I am thankful for everyone's involvement, none of this is or was my desire. My sole desire is to be as close as allowable to my family and community. There are 61 people in my immediate family including children and grandchildren. It is where I belong. It is ALL I know. It is the only place in the world that I am comfortable.
UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES
My Amish faith, religion, and lifestyle is surely unusual. There are countless unusual issues that I encounter in the average day in prison. These include electricity, restrooms/indoor plumbing, concrete, phones, computers, email, diet, clothing, attitudes and behaviors of the inmates and officers, the nonprivate or public aspect of incarceration. This is an example of the many issues that cause stress and anxiety on a daily basis. This continued stress is starting to cause issues and deterioration of my physical and mental health. Additionally, my family must use systems that are contrary to our way of life and violate their religious beliefs simply to have any communication with me (ie. phone and email). This is very stressful for them.
There is also the issue of visitation. As you know I have a very large immediate family. There ARE also hundreds in my community and other Amish communities around the country who wish to visit me. My family does visit every chance they get but the visitation process is especially difficult because of the unusual circumstances of our Amish faith. The BOP will not allow for all of my immediate family to even be on my regular visitation list. It is a constant struggle over who and how many can visit at each visitation and who and how many can be on the list at the same time.
Also, the BOP local policies do not allow or discourage changes to the visitation lists, thereby forcing me to choose between my children and grandchildren. It is impossible to do, and causes undue stress and constant confusion. In fact, I was told by Camp Administrator Roane at FPC Ashland that "YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY DOES NOT INCLUDE GRANDCHILDREN." (Please see the email attached to my original petition.)
My circumstances are certainly unusual and warrant individualized consideration for a transfer to a lower security facility such as RRC Lexington, Ky.
EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES
The extraordinary circumstances are much more significant. My direct family of 61 does not know how to properly function without my presence. Communication is a constant issue and being held at Big Sandy camp is impacting their lives in ways that were not considered during sentencing.
Also, being the founder of the community, all of them are suffering from my absence and the distance from them. As they do not drive, use phones or computers, there is little communication, except for written letters.
Also, the 300 minute limit on calls per month and the significant monthly cost ($80.00) is restrictive. This is in addition to them choosing to violate their religious beliefs simply to communicate with me by phone or email. They depend on me and my advice in most every season of life. My sentence has truly imprisoned not only me but my entire family and community of over 70 families with over 600 men, woman and children, in many ways.
I am not a threat to the community as you will see from the enclosed letters from my non-Amish neighbors. I have not included letters from my fellow Amish neighbors and other communities as not to overwhelm you.
I am requesting that I be transferred to the RRC located in Lexington, KY. This is a lower security facility and transfer to this facility is allowed according to BOP policy. I believe I am a perfect candidate for a lower security transfer due to the unusual and extraordinary circumstances surrounding my incarceration.
Placing me in the halfway house closest to my home, family and community will allow me to work and support them by providing the much needed physical, emotional, and spiritual support they require and have always received from me. As evidenced by the small sampling of letters of support submitted with this request, I will be able to fulfill and vow to comply with any and all restrictions and criteria placed on me as part of this transfer.
This transfer will also save the BOP a significant amount of money and is in agreement with the letter and spirit of the newly enacted First Step Act of 2018.
Please consider my request for transfer to RRC Lexington so that I may BOTH meet the conditions of my incarceration and provide the much needed support to my family and community. Please consider using this approved and available BOP policy to allow me to meet all of the responsibilities I have, not only to the BOP but also our Amish community.
That is the END OF SAM'S LETTER. He did receive assistance preparing this request.
Please do all you can do to have Sam moved back to his family and friends. Thank you for your consideration,
[your name]