State Correctional Institution – Somerset
All-male prison in Pennsylvania, US
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
State Correctional Institution – Somerset is a medium-security, all-male correctional facility located outside Somerset, Pennsylvania, about 70 miles (110 km) southeast of Pittsburgh, and about 5 miles (8.0 km) off the Somerset Interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. In March 2024, 44 of Pennsylvania's death row inmates were moved to Somerset.[2] They were previously at SCI Phoenix, which continues to house other death penalty prisoners.[3]
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 Interactive map of State Correctional Institution - Somerset | |
| Location | Somerset Township / Brothersvalley Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Status | Open |
| Security class | Medium security |
| Capacity | 1,600[1] |
| Opened | 1993 |
| Managed by | Pennsylvania Department of Corrections |
Almost all of the prison is in Somerset Township,[4] while a small portion is in Brothersvalley Township.[5] The total land area is 240 acres (97 ha).[3]
Construction of SCI - Somerset
SCI – Somerset was constructed at a cost[1] of $82 million and was completed in 1993. The prison was constructed on the site of a farm. The campus covers 63 acres (25 ha), inside and outside the perimeter fence.
Notable Inmates
| Inmate Name | Register Number | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Frein | MY0275 | Sentenced to death. | Perpetrator of the 2014 Pennsylvania State Police barracks attack in which he murdered Bryon Dickson and injured another officer.[6][7][8][9] After a large state-wide manhunt, Frein was captured and tried for his crimes.[10][11][12][13] |
| John Eichinger | GL3402 | Sentenced to death.[14] | Convicted of murdering 4 people.[15] |
| James David Martin | GN0771 | Serving a sentence of 22-to-44 years. | Murdered 3 people between 1989-2005.[16][17][18] |
| Richard Andrew Poplawski | KB7354 | Sentenced to death.[19] | Perpetrator of the 2009 shooting of Pittsburgh police officers in which he murdered three police officers after a 9-1-1 call from his mother's home.[20][21][22] |
| Raghunandan Yandamuri | LU3857 | Sentenced to death.[23] | Convicted of the kidnapping-murder of Saanvi Venna and murdering Satyavathi Venna.[23] |