NEW YORK (AP) – The Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, known for its troubled history, is currently holding Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This facility, which has housed notable inmates like R. Kelly and Sean “Diddy” Combs, is a common destination for individuals awaiting trial in federal courts in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The MDC currently accommodates approximately 1,300 inmates, encompassing a variety of cases, from alleged gang members to white-collar criminals.
The arrival of Maduro at MDC Brooklyn drew a large crowd of Venezuelan expatriates, many of whom celebrated outside the facility. The group cheered as the motorcade believed to be transporting Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, arrived at the jail. This is not the first instance of a political figure being detained at MDC. For instance, former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was imprisoned there while facing drug trafficking charges, later receiving a 45-year sentence before being pardoned by President Donald Trump in December 2021.
Among current detainees at MDC Brooklyn are high-profile figures such as Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia, co-founder of the Sinaloa drug cartel, and Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Notable past inmates have included crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried and Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein. Surrounded by a shopping mall and located in a waterfront industrial area, near the Statue of Liberty, MDC has been severely criticized for its conditions, often referred to as a “hell on earth” and a site of “ongoing tragedy.”
Inmates and their legal representatives have voiced concerns about the rampant violence within the jail. Notably, two inmates were killed by fellow prisoners in 2024, and staff members have faced allegations of accepting bribes and introducing contraband into the facility. A significant incident occurred during the winter of 2019, when a power outage left the jail without electricity for a week, worsening conditions for the inmates.
In response to ongoing criticism, the federal Bureau of Prisons has implemented efforts to improve conditions at the MDC. This includes adding correctional and medical staff, addressing more than 700 maintenance backlogs, and enhancing critical infrastructure like electrical and plumbing systems, as well as food service and temperature control systems. To combat crime within the facility, recent initiatives have targeted various illegal activities, including an instance where 23 inmates were charged with offenses that ranged from smuggling weapons hidden in snacks to a stabbing connected to the killing of hip-hop artist Jam Master Jay.
The Bureau of Prisons asserted in September that MDC Brooklyn is now safer for both inmates and staff, citing a decrease in the inmate population from 1,580 in January 2024, which they claim has led to a notable reduction in crime and contraband incidents. While at MDC, Maduro may encounter familiar faces, including co-defendant Hugo Carvajal, the former Venezuelan spy chief, who has expressed interest in cooperating with U.S. authorities, and Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, an alleged member of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang.
The MDC has been under heightened scrutiny since the Bureau of Prisons shuttered its other facility, the Metropolitan Correctional Center, in New York City in 2021 following the controversial suicide of Jeffrey Epstein, which highlighted severe security failures and deplorable conditions within the prison system. The ongoing challenges at MDC Brooklyn continue to prompt discussions about the state of the American correctional system as it seeks to balance safety and humane treatment for inmates.
