The Willacy County State Jail is a privately owned medium-security prison for men located in Raymondville, Willacy County, Texas, operated by Management and Training Corporation under contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.[1][2] It has an official capacity of 1,069 inmates.[2]
 | |
| Location | 1695 South Buffalo Drive Raymondville, Texas |
|---|---|
| Status | Operational |
| Capacity | 1,069 |
| Opened | 1996 |
| Managed by | MTC[1] |
This facility is adjacent to two other private prison sites: the Willacy County Correctional Center, closed in 2015, and the Willacy County Regional Detention Center, both operated by MTC for the federal government.[3]
This facility was first opened by Wackenhut, now GEO Group, in 1996. On April 26, 2001 inmate Gregorio De La Rosa, Jr. was beaten to death by other prisoners. This incident caused a $42.5 million civil settlement against Wackenhut.[4]
Notable Inmates
edit| Inmate Name | Register Number | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Howerton | 50644897 / 02457695 | Serving a 20-year sentence. Eligible for parole in 2033. | Convicted of aggravated assault for the 2017 death of Cayley Mandadi.[5][6] |
References
edit- ^ a b "Willacy County State Jail". Management and Training Corporation. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
- ^ a b "Willacy County (WI)". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
- ^ Tyx, Daniel Blue (26 March 2015). "Goodbye to Tent City". Texas Observer. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ "Appeals Court upholds $42.5 million wrongful death suit against Wackenhut". Raymondville Chronicle / Willacy County News. 8 Apr 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ Sant, Peter Van (2024-01-21). "Cayley Mandadi death: Accident or homicide? Debate lingers over cause of Texas cheerleader's fatal injuries - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-06-12.
- ^ Zavala, Elizabeth. "Howerton draws maximum 20-year term in death of Trinity student Cayley Mandadi". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2024-06-12.