20 Infamous Criminals in Maximum Security Prisons

20 Infamous Criminals in Maximum Security Prisons

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were looking at twenty notorious criminals who are currently housed inside inescapable, maximum security institutions.

Sirhan Sirhan

One of the most infamous assassins in modern history, Sirhan Sirhan was responsible for shooting Senator Robert F. Kennedy on June 5, 1968. While Kennedy survived the initial shooting, his injuries were too severe and he died the next day at Los Angeless Good Samaritan Hospital. Sirhan was originally sentenced to death, but this was commuted to life in prison following a landmark court case in 1972. On November 22, 2013 - coincidentally, the 50th anniversary of the death of Roberts brother, John F. Kennedy - Sirhan was transferred to the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility outside San Diego, where he remains to this day. Funnily enough, Sirhan was actually granted parole in August 2021, but this was blocked by California Governor Gavin Newsom.

James Marcello

The Chicago Outfit has a long and storied history, dating back to 1910 and once being led by famous mobster Al Capone. Fast forward a number of decades to the early 2000s, and the Outfit was being led by one James Marcello, AKA Little Jimmy. Marcello was a central target of the FBIs Operation Family Secrets and was ultimately convicted on many serious, mob-related charges, including racketeering, conspiracy, and involvement in multiple murders. He is currently housed inside ADX Florence, a notorious supermax prison in Colorado that is virtually impenetrable and which houses the most dangerous criminals in America.

Damian Williams

You might not know the name, but you probably know the crime. On April 29, 1992, Los Angeles was in the midst of the famous Rodney King riots when truck driver Reginald Denny was pulled from his vehicle and beaten on live television by a group now-called the L.A. Four. This group contained Damian Williams, who was affiliated with local Crips. Williams became nationally recognized for attacking Denny - and especially for throwing a cinder block at his head and knocking him unconscious. Williams served four years in prison for the assault, but he struggled to stay out of trouble and was later convicted of murdering drug dealer Grover Tinner in 2000. He is currently serving 46 years to life in California State Prison, Centinela.

James Holmes

On July 20, 2012, dozens of people packed into Aurora, Colorados Century 16 movie theater to watch The Dark Knight Rises. Unfortunately, thats where James Holmes decided to enact a horrible plan. Suffering from severe mental illness, Holmes entered the theater with multiple firearms and cannisters of tear gas. He threw the gas into the crowd before opening fire, killing twelve and injuring 62. Eight more would become injured while attempting to flee the theater. Holmes pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but his defense argument didnt work against the jury, and he was given twelve life sentences plus an additional 3,318 years in prison. He is currently held in USP Allenwood in Pennsylvania.

Gary Ridgway

One of the most prolific serial killers in history, Gary Ridgway was known as The Green River Killer and was convicted of murdering 49 people throughout the 1980s and 90s. However, his true body count could be much higher, with Ridgway himself claiming to have murdered 71. Regardless, Ridgway was given 49 life sentences - one for each confirmed victim - and is imprisoned in Washington State Penitentiary. Given the nickname The Walls, Washington State is an enormous and historically violent prison that dates back to the 1880s. It even housed Washingtons death row inmates and carried out its executions before the state abolished capital punishment.

David Berkowitz

Another notorious serial killer, David Berkowitz is perhaps better known as The Son of Sam. Between July 1976 and July 1977, Berkowitz terrorized the already-gritty streets of New York, targeting and shooting random people with his .44 Special caliber Bulldog revolver. Six people were killed in the shootings, and many more were injured. As a result, Berkowitz became the target of the largest manhunt in the citys history. They finally caught him on August 10, 1977, and he pleaded guilty to six counts of second-degree murder, resulting in six consecutive life sentences. He was moved around various New York prisons, including Attica, which he referred to as a nightmare, and is currently imprisoned in the Shawangunk Correctional Facility.

Ramzi Yousef

A notable terrorist, Ramzi Yousef is widely remembered as the main perpetrator and mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. On February 26, 1993, Yousef and accomplices parked a Ryder truck loaded with a homemade bomb in the buildings underground parking garage. The resulting explosion killed six and injured well over 1,000. Despite the massive damage, Yousef failed in his primary goal, which was to completely collapse the North Tower, thereby killing thousands. He was finally captured after years on the run and was given two life sentences plus 240 years. He is currently inside ADX Florence, in a cell block commonly known as Bombers Row.

Eric Rudolph

Joining Ramzi Yousef on Bombers Row is Eric Rudolph, the perpetrator of the Centennial Olympic Park bombing. The 1996 Summer Olympics were being held in Atlanta, and Rudolph saw an opportunity. According to his manifesto, he wished to confound, anger and embarrass the Washington government. So he targeted Centennial Olympic Park with a homemade bomb, killing one person directly and injuring 111. The damage would have been much greater if it wasnt for the efforts of security guard Richard Jewell, who noticed the suspicious backpack and helped clear the surrounding area. Rudolph committed additional bombings in Alabama and Georgia before he was caught and arrested. He was given four consecutive life sentences.

Mark David Chapman

December 8, 1980. As John Lennon entered the archway of The Dakota, Mark David Chapman shot him four times from behind. While Lennon was rushed to the hospital, Chapman stayed behind, calmly reading a book until the police arrived. Unfortunately, Lennon did not survive the trip to the hospital. The world entered a period of mourning while Chapman went through rigorous psychiatric evaluations, with many experts finding him mentally ill. However, Chapman pled guilty, believing that it was the will of God, and he was given twenty years to life. He spent most of his time in Attica, but he transferred in 2022 to the maximum-security Green Haven Correctional Facility. He has also been denied parole thirteen times.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev

Tamerlan Tsarnaev and his brother Dzhokhar planned and orchestrated the Boston Marathon bombing of 2013. The brothers placed two homemade pressure cooker bombs along the finish line, both of which successfully exploded. Three people died in the initial bombing and hundreds more were injured, many catastrophically. A giant manhunt for the brothers then occurred throughout the streets of Boston, resulting in further deaths - including that of Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was shot by police and run over by a fleeing Dzhokhar. Dzhokhar was later caught hiding in a boat and was convicted of a slew of crimes, resulting in his imprisonment in ADX Florence. He is currently being held on the prisons death row awaiting execution.

Richard Reid

Infamously known as the "Shoe Bomber," Reid is a British terrorist who, in December 2001, attempted to detonate explosives packed into the shoes he was wearing, while on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami. This attempt was thwarted by the vigilant passengers and crew members on board. Following his arrest, Reid was tried in the United States and on charges of terrorism. He received life without the possibility of parole and is currently incarcerated, with many other highly dangerous criminals, inside ADX Florence.

Robert Bowers

On October 27, 2018, Robert Bowers stormed Pittsburghs Tree of Life - Or Lsimcha Congregation during Shabbat morning services. He opened fire inside the synagogue with three handguns and a semi-automatic rifle, injuring six and killing eleven. Bowers was mainly motivated by far-right nationalist ideologies, including deep-seated antisemitism and a belief in the white replacement conspiracy theory, which posits that Jews are replacing white populations with non-white immigrants. Bowers was apprehended following a shootout and was convicted of 63 federal crimes. He is currently on death row at USP Terre Haute awaiting execution, with Joe Biden having refused to commute his death sentence to life in prison.

Alex Murdaugh

This former lawyer from a prominent legal family in South Carolina became the center of a high-profile case that captured national attention. In 2021, Murdaugh was convicted of the murder of his wife, Maggie, and their son, Paul, amidst a web of financial fraud and misdeeds. His trial unveiled a shocking narrative of deceit, financial desperation, and ultimately, violence, leading to life without the possibility of parole. High-profile inmates like Murdaugh are often placed in maximum security to ensure their safety and prevent escape, although they may be transferred at a later date as circumstances dictate.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

Often described as the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Mohammed remains detained at Guantanamo Bay's Camp Delta. His role in planning the attacks that led to the death of nearly 3,000 people and caused extensive destruction, including the collapse of the World Trade Center towers, places him at the center of one of the most significant terrorist plots in history. Arrested in 2003 in Pakistan, Mohammed has faced various charges related to terrorism and murder. His detention at Guantanamo, a high-security military facility, reflects the extraordinary nature of his alleged actions and the ongoing legal and ethical debates surrounding the treatment and rights of detainees in the context of global terrorism.

Dylann Roof

Roof was found guilty for the racially motivated massacre at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015, where he murdered nine African American churchgoers. This heinous act was intended to incite racial tensions and violence. Roof, who embraced white supremacist ideologies, was found guilty on 33 federal charges, encompassing hate crimes. In 2017, he received a death sentence, marking a rare federal execution order aimed at denouncing racially motivated violence. Roof's incarceration on federal death row under maximum security conditions is not only a consequence of his acts, but also serves as a stark reminder of the deadly impact of hate and bigotry.

John Floyd Thomas Jr.

One of Los Angeles's most prolific serial killers, Thomas Jr. was arrested in 2009 and linked through DNA evidence to a series of brutal murders spanning several decades. His crimes mainly targeted elderly and vulnerable women in the Los Angeles area his method of operation typically involved breaking into the homes of his victims, where he would then attack and murder them. Thomas was convicted of multiple counts and this shed light on a series of cold cases that had remained unsolved for years. Thomas was incarcerated in a maximum-security prison, reflecting the threat he poses to public safety.

Terry Nichols

This co-conspirator in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing is serving multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole at ADX Florence, the aforementioned maximum-security federal prison. The bombing, one of the deadliest terrorist attacks on U.S. soil prior to September 11, 2001, resulted in the deaths of 168 people, including children, and injured over 600. Nichols received federal and state charges for conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction and involuntary manslaughter. His incarceration at ADX Florence, known for its stringent security measures, is indicative of the perceived ongoing threat he poses.

Dennis Rader

The BTK Killer carried out a series of murders spanning from 1974 to 1991. His criminal activities caused widespread fear and garnered extensive media coverage, particularly in and around Wichita, Kansas. These went unsolved for decades until a renewed investigation, aided by advances in forensic science, led to his arrest in 2005. He received 10 consecutive life terms and is incarcerated at the El Dorado Correctional Facility in Kansas, a maximum-security prison. This facility is designed to house inmates who have committed serious felonies, ensuring high levels of security and surveillance.

Danilo Cavalcante

This Brazilian national was convicted of murder in the United States and subsequently undertook a daring escape from a Pennsylvania prison in September 2023. He was deemed guilty for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, which authorities described as an attempt to silence her from revealing his wanted status in Brazil for another murder. Cavalcante's escape prompted a massive manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies, highlighting the challenges of managing high-risk inmates. His escape underscores the importance of maximum security measures in prisons to prevent prison breaks to ensure public safety, especially with inmates who have a history of violence and flight risk.

Joaquín Guzmán

"El Chapo was once deemed the world's most powerful narco, and is serving a life sentence plus 30 years in ADX Florence. His leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel involved the large-scale smuggling of illegal substances into the U.S., leading to widespread violence and corruption. Captured in 2016 after two dramatic escapes from Mexican prisons, Guzmán's trial in 2019 resulted in convictions for money laundering and involvement in organized crime. His imprisonment under maximum security conditions is a testament to his perceived risk of escape and ongoing threat to public safety.

Do you think well ever see these people again? Let us know in the comments below!