Where Is Ghislaine Maxwell Now? Prison Location, Sentence & 2026 Legal Status

Where Is Ghislaine Maxwell Now?

As of February 2026, Ghislaine Maxwell is incarcerated at FCI Tallahassee, a low-security federal correctional institution in Tallahassee, Florida, according to Bureau of Prisons records. She is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence following her December 2021 conviction on five counts including sex trafficking of a minor and sex trafficking conspiracy.

Maxwell has been in federal custody since her arrest on July 2, 2020, and has exhausted all direct legal challenges to her conviction.

FCI Tallahassee: The Federal Facility

FCI Tallahassee is a low-security federal correctional institution operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). According to BOP records:

The facility houses female inmates in a campus-style setting
It is located adjacent to a minimum-security satellite camp
The institution provides standard BOP programming including educational, vocational, and recreational opportunities
FCI Tallahassee is part of the BOP's Southeast Region

Maxwell was transferred to FCI Tallahassee after her sentencing. Her placement at a low-security facility reflects BOP classification guidelines, which consider factors including offense type, criminal history, and security risk assessment.

The 20-Year Sentence

Maxwell was sentenced on June 28, 2022, by Judge Alison J. Nathan in the Southern District of New York, according to the DOJ sentencing press release. The sentence included:

240 months (20 years) in federal prison
5 years of supervised release following incarceration
$750,000 in restitution to victims

The sentence was below the prosecution's request of 30 to 55 years but significantly above the defense's request of approximately 5 years. Judge Nathan described Maxwell's crimes as "heinous and predatory."

For a full account of the trial and sentencing, see Ghislaine Maxwell Trial & Verdict.

Earliest Possible Release Date

Under federal sentencing guidelines, inmates may earn good-time credit that reduces their sentence. According to Bureau of Prisons policy:

Federal inmates can earn up to 54 days of good-time credit per year served
This credit is contingent on maintaining good conduct and participating in programming
For a 20-year sentence, maximum good-time credit could reduce the effective sentence by approximately 3 years

Based on these calculations, Maxwell's earliest possible release date is approximately 2037, assuming maximum good-time credit. Her full 20-year sentence would end in approximately 2042 if no good-time credit is applied.

These calculations are approximate. Actual release dates depend on BOP administrative decisions, conduct, and any changes in law.

Legal Status: All Appeals Exhausted

As of February 2026, Maxwell has exhausted all direct legal challenges to her conviction and sentence. The timeline of her post-conviction legal efforts:

Date	Event	Outcome
June 28, 2022	Sentenced to 20 years	—
2022–2023	Notice of appeal filed with Second Circuit	Pending
August 2024	Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruling	Conviction upheld
2025	Certiorari petition filed with Supreme Court	Pending
October 6, 2025	Supreme Court rules on petition	Denied without comment
December 2025	Habeas corpus petition filed (28 U.S.C. section 2255)	Pending
January 13, 2026	Federal judge rules on habeas petition	Denied

The Supreme Court's refusal to hear her appeal and the subsequent habeas denial mean that Maxwell has no remaining avenue to directly challenge her conviction through the courts.

For the complete legal challenge timeline, see Ghislaine Maxwell Appeal Timeline.

Congressional Appearance (February 2026)

On February 10, 2026, Maxwell appeared via video link before the House Oversight Committee as part of congressional hearings prompted by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, according to NBC News and the Associated Press.

During the approximately two-hour hearing, Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in response to virtually every substantive question. She declined to name associates, describe Epstein's operations, or comment on individuals named in the Epstein files.

Maxwell indicated she would be willing to testify if President Trump granted her clemency. Trump responded that a pardon was "not on his radar," according to NPR.

For complete coverage, see Ghislaine Maxwell 2026 Updates.

The Clemency Question

With all legal challenges exhausted, the only remaining path to a reduced sentence for Maxwell is executive clemency — either a presidential commutation (reducing the sentence) or a pardon (forgiving the offense entirely).

As of February 2026:

No formal clemency petition has been publicly filed
Maxwell has publicly indicated willingness to cooperate in exchange for clemency
The White House has not made any commitment regarding clemency
Victims' advocates have strongly opposed any sentence reduction

For a detailed analysis, see Ghislaine Maxwell Commutation.

What We Know and What We Don't

Confirmed (based on BOP records, DOJ statements, and verified reporting):

Maxwell is at FCI Tallahassee, a low-security federal facility in Florida
She is serving a 20-year sentence imposed on June 28, 2022
All direct legal challenges to her conviction have been denied
She appeared before Congress in February 2026 and invoked the Fifth Amendment
No clemency petition has been publicly filed

Unknown:

The specifics of Maxwell's daily life and conditions at FCI Tallahassee
Whether private clemency discussions have occurred
Whether Maxwell possesses information that could lead to additional prosecutions
Whether her sentence will be affected by any future legal or political developments

For the full case history, see our Ghislaine Maxwell topic page. Learn about who Ghislaine Maxwell is, explore the appeal timeline, or browse the document library.