DOJ Press Announcement - Federal Charges Against MCC Correctional Officers

DOJ PRESS RELEASE — CHARGES AGAINST MCC OFFICERS U.S. Attorney's Office, SDNY Date: November 19, 2019 Two correctional officers assigned to the Special Housing Unit at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) where Jeffrey Epstein was held were charged with conspiracy and making false records. DEFENDANTS: - Tova Noel, Correctional Officer - Michael Thomas, Correctional Officer CHARGES: - Conspiracy to defraud the United States (18 U.S.C. § 371) - Making false records (18 U.S.C. § 1519) ALLEGATIONS: The indictment alleged that on the night of August 9-10, 2019, Noel and Thomas were responsible for conducting rounds every 30 minutes on the SHU tier where Epstein was housed. Instead: - The officers failed to complete any of the required rounds between approximately 10:30 PM and 6:30 AM - They appeared to have slept and browsed the internet during their shifts - They falsified unit logs to make it appear that the rounds had been conducted - Epstein was found unresponsive at approximately 6:30 AM on August 10, 2019 RESOLUTION: In May 2021, Noel and Thomas entered deferred prosecution agreements requiring 100 hours of community service each. The charges would be dismissed after six months of compliance. Source: SDNY U.S. Attorney Available at: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny