Disgraced socialite, Ghislaine Maxwell has been moved to a low security prison
Described by some as the ‘Disneyland’ of jails, the prison Ghislaine Maxwell was moved to is a far cry from the outcome prosecutors were initially hoping for.
The Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida opened in 1938 and houses women only.
Maxwell was found guilty on five of the six charges against her including the most serious of sex trafficking a minor.
So how did she escape a life sentence and what’s next for Jeffery Epstein’s former right hand gal?
When Maxwell was walked into court sporting prison scrubs and shackles many thought it was likely she would “rot in hell” behind the bars of a prison cell for the rest of her life.
But as it stands, the 60-year-old could walk free in 18 years, having already served two.
It follows Maxwell’s defence securing a major win just before the sentence was announced.
What sentence deal did Maxwell’s defence secure?
The defence successfully reduced the court’s sentencing guideline range down to between 15 and 19.5 years.
Prosectors had asked for up to 55 years, which they say she deserved due to her quote “utter lack of remorse”. This was rejected.
In 2004, sentencing guidelines were increased dramatically to a maximum of 65 years, but in 2003 the limit was still just over 19.5 years.
The date of the indictment against Maxwell? Between 1994 and 2004.
In their push for leniency, Maxwell’s lawyers argued the former socialite’s jail conditions were harrowing.
They described an incident where another inmate threatened to kill her.
This inmate claimed an additional 20 years’ incarceration would be “worth the money” she’d receive for carrying out the murder.
But while Maxwell may be heading to a more comfortable facility, it’s still not freedom.
When she finally is released she will be nearing the end of her life, aged 78.
