FCI McKean Faces Third Death
A third inmate has died at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McKean in Lewis Run, Pennsylvania, since September 2024. Kevin Montemayor, a 30-year-old inmate, was found unresponsive on Friday and pronounced dead at a local hospital. Montemayor was serving a 180-month sentence for possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of children.
According to prison officials, Montemayor had been in custody at FCI McKean since October 3, 2024. However, an inmate claims that Montemayor was only at the facility for 24 hours and was taken to the Special Housing Unit (SHU) before his death. The inmate alleges that the prison’s actions were violent and that the incident should be reviewed.
This is the third reported death at FCI McKean in the past 16 months. In September 2024, Tezmonta Evans, 34, died while serving a 180-month sentence for possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute. In December 2024, Joseph Duncil, 40, died while serving an 18-month sentence for possessing a firearm with a prior felony conviction.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been notified of each incident, and prison officials have stated that no employees or other inmates were injured, and the public was not in danger. Nationwide, federal prisons average around 380 deaths per year, with illness being the leading cause of death.
FCI McKean has faced allegations of prolonged lockdowns, inadequate medical care, and staff misconduct. Inmates and advocacy groups have reported that prisoners are often confined to their cells for extended periods, with limited access to basic necessities like showers and phones. There have also been claims of discriminatory behavior by staff, including the use of slurs and restrictive seating in the dining hall.
Advocacy groups, such as the Dream Builders Foundation, have called for federal oversight, citing
