# FCI Mendota: In the news

Every piece of coverage I've collected on FCI Mendota, newest first. Local reporters catch things the BOP (the federal Bureau of Prisons) never announces, so this is often the closest thing to a public record the facility has. Links go to the original outlets.

## 2026

- Mar 23, 2026 [Inmate missing from satellite camp near prison in Mendota](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirAFBVV95cUxQQW1DaEFlQTNQOW9BSVh6blFEUUQ5VjRXdFZiRzh1STVNZjZZcFRHcUdTbVJsNGEtVVkzd2RaUHJlZFZLVjI5Yk13dGh6RU16WW5acXlNaUVwcVBpaklhM2xQT0xZcTRhaUJIZVVYV25QS2xEaUJJZDkwYWJMLWZ2S3JDSnBieW84U1MyQ09fQ0dCSW1OVVlRZDhLLW4wc3JVbl9nTjRCbkJaZkhE?oc=5) kmph.com Other
- Mar 23, 2026 [Inmate sought after escape from federal facility in Mendota, officials say](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiggFBVV95cUxPcW5TWjA5bkVNdXFmVG9za25UZWp1TXQ3WjJnQ1g1cnQtV0JHVU5PMzRNTXN2X3RWTVF5X1BLWk9Pc21mdGwzcEpWeG5JWmpCYlpHSHFhV1VaeC1nUXBpV1VnYU51S21YOGwzVVYyUzMwWVNoY0lxakNsUGJ4amRwR0130gGHAUFVX3lxTE5LRkhaZFlEOTFhWndYem9EcWJRU0FrcnlsOS1IWkhINDgtYjVCT2lMQU1FakdOdE1UN0xGQVNlOU9LYnkzLXA4eDQybmxHZkVKYmc3T0d0QTRSUHB3TzZ2NWYybU1XU09ESXBBUFBaaGxWdUd0Z1ZfOWg4T3o0T3hKQVZURnNHNA?oc=5) yourcentralvalley.com Other
- Jan 14, 2026 [Mendota prison officer accused of sexual assault of minor, officials confirm](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiekFVX3lxTE1sa3lMMlZRaUJMeE1iblhxR2ZBMC1aMmVlcGdraWcwWnlvSF9Hc0NxbDU0VGRWYkk3STctUW9uRkpORHRVRHdEcXUyOWVkSElfVHNxTE13cXB4bm1QU3FKbWFjNFc4bWljYS05WEREejMzaGs0RzNDaENn0gF_QVVfeXFMT3kxc0pyaXozSEprOWRBekYtZW5RRGlnV2VwTE9QNWJJeWhnY3ExNEZtNlJXRVY0TkpsaVpWTUFwMWZ2Si1QM2tOMGlhV2F1UU9xT3IwUlNrQzN4VDR2NXBVeVpwVHlJWXNjSWFVZl81ek90dHFrSGFrbFlJU2pjNA?oc=5) yourcentralvalley.com

## 2025

- Nov 13, 2025 [Mendota federal prison employee is not sure backpay will come quickly](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijgFBVV95cUxQcU1BRG1reWhTdUl4WVJ6MFhYdktNbnllU0NkazJqaTk4a1lwZGhGMnlpQ3JQQkh2QnFVYzB1UGlJLXh3c09tSFQyZm42MGxZWV82dEZ1ZGVhNW1hT3lCV2FkeEhTQkZ6d084MTJiVUJMalhpVm12dkFrSlZka0hYaXI3WGJJUmxIVU9iWHh30gGTAUFVX3lxTE5rU0JLODdkNklUcmNWZC1ZTlNEQ1V5a3NVV1JxT3RZOG1mOGpqNUt0QUJVVDJPQ1NIc1ZJRXFxQXZ5YVlpVll0NjR0ZXFWQi1vc29FZmhlRTFXWHBOMVFJb2hJd1lVVUxZTExkUjlfamtaWnB2VUM3VkxNSWNVMm11ZFVCLXh0c1hKc3lteVZCWmlWbw?oc=5) yourcentralvalley.com Other
- Oct 2, 2025 [FCI Mendota employees working without pay amid government shutdown](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilgFBVV95cUxNZnRfX2JpR1NWazZCaTQxWTVqdWV4Ry1FczBXcFVraERqQjhSZnQ4TFdHcV9PdW1vMDFsYlJ3ODZkREZKRGdxOGkxa1lLQmVCeVk1bDd4MnNFZkVnY0Y0RUNXTzZrd3V6b2ZVekVweDU0b19qYkdULUFnb0E1SHlBa05BOGg1cTlNUzYxXzRFcEVsNXRuZ0HSAZsBQVVfeXFMTlBocGNsX0JUeG1VWXBWMjZIMENRZE9zZDBYNkxvdkZsNE80VENFZXBMY2x1eHRadlMyb0lYaEhxZXpTdFRyVXVaZXJMdk1USzh1bE8zMkpKeld1VDNzWlozaDBPd0FubEo4MlJ4MDNmVmpjWnExRld2Y0RRSnlfSUlBd2JtWE5jVlo3NzRESmY1Q21LZFRZUm15UEU?oc=5) ABC30 Fresno Other

## 2022

- Jul 27, 2022 [Mendota prison employees accused of violating COVID-19 protocols](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijwFBVV95cUxORGVIdUtaVGRKRnl6UmFsUTYtYmVFYnhsM2o5TU4xVGtZNjc0Zk5NTFlvYVJjY2VMT0lmckJhRDFMX1diazdlNDdfbGwxclFCempWRlI1cC1FX0RjaEtaWG1DMDZxX0JxWmdsZWZwdmhyYW5wS0JJQkVqM3hvSkVKVTVyUkZRSm9MWDYyTzlNc9IBlAFBVV95cUxNTFp2cUYxeURKNkpwRGhQMmhzQXlhWUlKQUsyZUo0b2k3Yzk0c0Q3cFB2azFlM3BwX05lTllKLTlfa01kcWVSWkxxZlR3NUtOdEFlYUlXTjdSc0RQWkZSVXpvV25pcGEyT3F3UExfTGUtcnNSc0JaRzc5bTZBMHhGeE4ySERYYTlMQjlYcFMxblBfSVhs?oc=5) ABC30 Fresno

## 2021

- May 25, 2021 [Teachers, plumbers, nurses forced to guard inmates at Mendota prison](https://news.google.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?oc=5) ABC30 Fresno

When teachers, nurses, plumbers or other non-custody staff are regularly used as correctional officers, the staffing shortage starts eating the programs and services those people were hired to provide.

- Feb 16, 2021 [Inmate escapes Mendota federal prison](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiwFBVV95cUxOeHc5VUJsSm1VVFBfRmJnRGdNaG5IbElCcXNyWkFCSjU1VUVTc1ZwOGRLSHVUWkVrUnUxQ2NrM0RHc3d3T0JJS3QyUDJzRTItNWlraVBZS1d6VkFib0FwdkFPTFRSN0ZranVNalFyZzBleTg3eVQ5TGpnYkExVFE1Y0NjYXoySm16aHN30gGQAUFVX3lxTE9xdjBHQjZOejE0b2ZvU25OWmxmSEhqeW9xNE44MkJBZjZha2Zpb0xLeEFWeWZ5bmVRODdveng0RFlwTEtIby1WOXE2ZmpSaHJRdTZNY3lMS3NacTdKQkVmODhkQmpFSTY4ZlUzeVVCWlNZUU5GZkpMcW4tdzlHQVdlM043SWxQdWtTeGpoY3hXdA?oc=5) yourcentralvalley.com

Mendota's satellite camp is minimum security. These escapes are generally walkaways, not someone defeating a secure penitentiary perimeter.

- Feb 6, 2021 [Corrections workers at FCI Mendota file lawsuit demanding COVID-19 hazard pay](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxQcl9obVVSUmE2RmZUUmVpUGtPaEFadmNndVRqanYxQ2ZsOThEWU9CZmFoWU9fZWNfZjV0MkJYTjFmQTFXU2gyOTV4cURuSURqblZPT0dELWtKYkM4Yi1xbmN2RzVCcFdrRlFKblc1UlI5WEE3Vl90eElWVS16d3Via3VfLWRrMmxQUTBCMDllaGpDZ3RGeW4wcVh4amNpNWxreFFfONIBqgFBVV95cUxPeWxnU2hyV1R4NGVTV3NzMDN3a0lVeDJVd0lLeVRvenIwZlJzaXhQaXpnSm1pcXFMVTVta29WOU9RaWk5M1QwQ1RHVkRSSDF5YTF3QmlScXRtaTJidEttMjE2Q0Nqa3I3UThac01UcXl5NmxPV2p6WFAxMWxOc3JwNkFBRkRBcDRUZzNidlhCb1JGcER1YjVIRWNIZnZBU1c2UVl5dVJ1ejA5UQ?oc=5) ABC30 Fresno

Coverage is collected automatically and reviewed by hand before it lands here. Headlines are the outlets' words, not mine.

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