According to the jail warden, former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon was eligible for home confinement but was not granted early release from prison because he had “insufficient time” remaining on his term.
Darek Puzio, the Acting Warden of the Federal Correctional Institution, wrote to Bannon’s lawyer, Trent McCotter, stating that although Bannon had “earned” the “First Step Act” time credits to qualify for home confinement, he still had “insufficient time” left on his prison sentence for a referral and approval to be processed.
In early July, Bannon, the former chairman of Breitbart and host of the War Room podcast, reported to prison to start his four-month sentence.
Puzio said, “Your letter dated October 8, 2024, regarding your client, Stephen Bannon, was received by FCI Danbury. You ask that your client be released to home confinement right away.”
Puzio went on: “Mr. Bannon has accrued ten First Step Act (“FSA”) time credits thus far. Under 18 U.S.C. Section 3624 (g) (3), these credits would normally be used toward an early transfer to supervision. Mr. Bannon does not, however, have a period of supervision after his jail sentence. His ten FSA time credits can therefore only be used for home confinement or prerelease custody placement in a Residential Reentry Center.”
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website, the First Step Act (FSA) “was a bi-partisan drive to improve criminal outcomes, as well as to lower the size of the prison population.”
In his letter, Puzio also stated, “Unfortunately, Mr. Bannon has not had enough time on his sentence to secure approval for 10 days of home confinement placement. Your client’s release area’s Regional Reentry Management Office informed their Residential Reentry Centers, which keep track of home confinement placements, that they will not allow placements for less than 30 days.”
McCotter and defense lawyer Evan Corcoran filed a letter in response to Puzio’s letter on Monday, stating that “the Court should grant Mr. Bannon’s motion to impose a time of supervised release.”
