CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Over 100 federal inmates were transferred out of Mecklenburg County after a dispute about how much it costs to house them there.
The United States Marshal Service (USMS) Western District chose not to accept a $31 increase for each day that each federal inmate is housed at the county jail, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office confirmed Thursday. The sheriff's office imposed an increase from $160 to $191 per day for each inmate kept at the jail.
The $160 rate had been in place since June 2020 but an agreement between the sheriff's office and the USMS stated the county could increase the rate after 24 months. The sheriff's office announced an increase in February and the USMS rejected the change in May.
Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden advised USMS Western District Deputy Christopher Edge that all of the federal inmates would need to be removed from the jail by Aug. 12, according to the sheriff's office.
The USMS moved out 143 of the inmates to a disclosed facility on Thursday. The 40 remaining federal inmates will be moved to other prisons over the next few days, according to the sheriff's office.
“I am disappointed that our efforts to ensure a reasonable rate, based on published federal guidelines and requirements was not accepted,” McFadden said in a statement. “I believe it is not responsibility of the sheriff’s office to subsidize the federal government with county resources. We will work with the USMS to ensure a seamless transition of their residents.”
The USMS has not commented on the situation.