The Discovery
At approximately 6:30 a.m. on August 10, 2019, Bureau of Prisons officers discovered Jeffrey Epstein unresponsive in his cell in the special housing unit at MCC. He was later pronounced dead at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Lower Manhattan.
The Officers
Two correction officers, Tova Noel and Michael Thomas, were on duty the night before the discovery. Both were Epstein’s tier officers responsible for conducting required checks.
The Falsified Records
Federal prosecutors charged Noel and Thomas in November 2019 with falsifying prison records. The indictment alleged they had recorded completing required rounds including checks on Epstein when they had not done so, instead sleeping or browsing the internet.
The Reason for Unsupervised Night
MCC was severely understaffed. Noel had worked significant overtime. Thomas was pressed into service on overtime after his regular shift. The staffing failures at MCC were systemic rather than individual.
Case Dismissed
In June 2021, federal prosecutors moved to dismiss the charges against Noel and Thomas. DOJ stated they had entered into deferred prosecution agreements. The dismissal meant no guard was ever convicted in connection with Epstein’s death.