FCI Dublin warden, 3 other top managers ousted amidst FBI raid

FBI raid of Dublin prison

FBI agents converged on the federal Prison in Dublin today. The warden was removed from leading the troubled prison that has seen sexual abuse of inmates, criminal charges against guards and leadership.

DUBLIN, Calif. - The warden and three other top managers were ousted on Monday during a surprising FBI raid of the scandal-plagued all-women's prison in Dublin.

Effective immediately, the new interim warden of the Federal Correctional Institute at Dublin is now Nancy T. McKinney, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

McKinney began her career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons in 1992. In April 2023, she was selected to serve as the Senior Deputy Assistant Director for the Western Regional Office.

She represents the fourth new prison administration since Warden Ray Garcia was charged with sex crimes in 2021.

A jury found Garcia guilty and he was sentenced to nearly six years in prison last year.

In court filings, the U.S. Attorney also noted that besides Warden Art Dulgov, Associate Warden Patrick Deveney, an executive assistant/satellite camp administrator and acting captain were also removed from their posts "to enact positive change" at FCI Dublin. The filing made no mention of the FBI raid.

FBI agents swarm women's prison in Dublin

FBI agents swarmed the all-women's prison in Dublin on Monday morning, and were seen taking out loads of boxes from the main facility.

BOP spokeswoman Randilee Giamusso told KTVU that "recent developments have necessitated new executive employees be installed at the institution."

She added that the new team "has been charged with developing a plan for the future of the facility."

She did not say why anyone in particular had been removed.

And she would not comment on the FBI agents seen taking boxes out of the facility.

Public records show that none of the four prison executives had been criminally charged on Monday.

"I'm glad that they have somebody who's ready to step into that role," said Kara Janssen, an attorney representing several sexual assault survivors at FCI Dublin and who is part of a suit asking for a "special master" over the prison. "But this is now the fourth or fifth warden in almost as many years and we very little faith about the BOP's ability to reform this deeply troubled institution."

FBI spokeswoman Cameron Polan confirmed to KTVU that the agency "conducted court-authorized law enforcement activity at that location."

Polan said she could not comment further.

It wasn't immediately clear what the focus of the investigation was, though the prison has gained national attention for the sexual assaults and retaliation for speaking up and reporting abuses that have been perpetuated there.

In addition, KTVU first reported that an incarcerated woman, Rhonda Fleming, was thrown into the Special Housing Unit, or the SHU, and transferred to a facility in Los Angeles against a judge's orders after she testified about the culture at FCI Dublin during a special January hearing.

Fleming also alleged that Dulgov "unlawfully retaliated" against her for her testimony, according to her lawyers.

When U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers heard about Fleming's transfer, she immediately ordered the BOP to return her to FCI Dublin, or she would hold the prison management in contempt of court.

Fleming was ultimately returned last month.

Incarcerated women and executives including Deveney also testified at that January hearing that drugs are prevalent at the facility and there were allegations made that some officers were allowing the contraband in, or at least turning a blind eye to them.

Still, despite what's been going on at the prison, the FBI raid was a bombshell, even for veteran observers.

"My morning has been very, very busy trying to figure out what exactly is happening at FCI Dublin right now," Janssen said. "I just have a lot of questions. We had no idea this was happening."

An incarcerated woman emailed KTVU after the raid to confirm what happened and say she had been on lockdown for most of the day.

The raid follows more than a dozen more women coming forward last week to file sexual abuse and retaliation lawsuits against officers at FCI Dublin, bringing the total to 63.

As many as 100 suits are expected, according to lawyers representing the plaintiffs.

Meanwhile, eight officers, including Garcia, the former warden, have been charged with sexual abuse. Seven have been found guilty.

The newly ousted administration, including Dulgov and Deveney, testified in January court hearings before Gonzales Rogers that the "bad apples" have been removed from the prison and the culture has changed for the better at FCI Dublin.

Despite those claims, Gonzalez Rogers is now considering putting a "special master" over the prison.

Janssen and her co-counsel have asked the judge for this oversight in order to make reforms.

Janssen said she does not think that the judge had anything to do with the raids or the warden's ouster, although Gonzalez Rogers is definitely watching what's happening very closely. She ordered a special hearing on Friday.

"I think this all goes to show that whatever criminal allegations may be involved here, whatever prosecutions may result, it's not the answer. This is right where we were a few years ago. And this shows that there's a real need for outside change."