Letters from Prison: Sean McHugh's Horrific Story

The amount of abuse in the BOP facilities is a growing concern for all J6 families but there are other issues that are dire as well. Sean’s story is horrific and really shows what inmates all over the country have to deal with. The BOP needs to be investigated for abuse and for the current state of disrepair of certain facilities as well as a lack of maintenance that resulted in extremely bad situations. Sean’s example is one of many. We heard about inmates being freezing in their cell because the heating system was not working and others during the summer where there was no air conditioning. The word CORRECTIONAL in FCI is appropriate in the sense that things at FCI really need to be CORRECTED!

It was the afternoon on Saturday, January 6th. 2024 at Herlong FCI, California. I was set on reading the book of Matthew, having recently received letters and finished two books, all referencing Matthew. As I lay on my bunk, reading the beginning of the sermon of the Mount, I visibly noticed smoke in my cell and in the hall. It caught my attention as I normally just smell the smoke when the convicts “light up”. I said something to my cell mate about it, and in that moment clouds of smoke began bellowing into our sail through our vent. Shortly after I saw Officer Richards running down the hall frantically, yelling into his radio, “There is a fire on range 4” and “We need to get these people out of here.”

The alarm sounded simultaneously strobe lights started flashing, and yet sprinklers never deployed. Meanwhile, the master air handler for the heating and air was pumping smoke directly into our locked cell. In a panic, we made an attempt to plug the vent. Our efforts being too little, too late. We were going to die suffocating from smoke inhalation if we did not get out, and get out fast.

As I was wetting towels to wrap around our heads, I saw a lieutenant walk by our cell. Instinctively. I started banging on the door and yelling at him to “get us the —— out of here!!!! Seemingly oblivious to the fact that we were suffocating in our cell, he simply replied, “We are working on it. We will get to you.”

In my head, I’m thinking “this is an emergency!”, “You’ll get to me?”, “He had to have seen the smoke, right?” I immediately envisioned my lifeless body being drugged out… (missing rest of page)

The smoke was getting so bad, we were gagging and coughing through our wet shirts and towels. As we lay on the floor, our faces pinned to the crack at the bottom of the door, smoke was still making its way through our makeshift plug in the vent. The only thing that was clear was that we were not getting out any time soon. Something needed to be done.

I had to get the vent plugged all the way if we were to have a chance. As I stepped up onto the stainless-steel toilet to reach the vent, my wet shoes slipped off, and I hid the floor twisting my knee. My cellmate had to finish the job. We were a wreck as the situation in our cell escalated from 0 to 100 in a matter of seconds.

Back on the floor, I could hear people being evacuated from their cells one by one. Apparently, there is only 1 key holder due to security reasons! At this point, I’m thinking, “We are done for sure; it’s going to take too long to get to us!”

I tried to relax and only take a breath every so often. My eyes and lungs were burning with pain. I thought of my family. How helpless I was, and how it was truly a pathetic way to die. In prison nonetheless! Coming to term with my fate, through prayer, on January 6th of all days, I finally hear my door unlock.

MATTHEW 16:25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

In disbelief the door swung open the smoke. poured out, and I got a breath of fresher air. Her hand came down and pulled me out. It was officer Hightower. Then… (missing bottom of page).

The two officers were not wearing respirators and I didn’t see any fire extinguishers. Officer Brewer rushed me outside into a cage where it was snowing. Surrounded by dozens of others who were shivering from the cold, I was happy to be alive. It didn’t take long for me to lose feeling in my feet and hands. By the time I was brought a coat, my feet were soaking wet and I was freezing. I had to stand in the snow for 4 hours while the Fire department got the situation under control.

Turns out the fire was in the ventilation system and was caused from an inmate smoking. Apparently, there is a large amount of debris accumulated in the bottom of each ventilation shaft from paper and trash being shove into the vents over the course of years. According to staff, it never gets cleaned out because there isn’t an access panel. It was evident by the amount of smoke there was. It raises a lot of questions about the safety and security of Federal Correctional Institutions.

Later that night, back in my cell a nurse came to see me and take my vitals. However, I’m still awaiting on X-rays and an MRI as my knee is swollen. You’ll be pleased to know I finished the book of Matthew. I am currently in the process of filing an appeal as I was convicted of 1512 (c)(2) obstruction of an official proceeding, and 111(b) assault of an officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon for the events that unfolded on January 6th, 2021, at our Nation’s Capitol.

MATHEW 16:28 Truly I tell you some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom”.

GOD BLESS AMERICA
TRUMP 2024
SEAN McHUGH