Federal prosecutors quietly dropped Their criminal case was against the two Manhattan jail guards who were charged with protecting Jeffrey Epstein that night, when he committed suicide amid the widely publicized trial of Ghislaine Maxiwell.
The two Bureau of Prisons workers had admitted to falsifying records, falling asleep and browsing the internet on that August 10, 2019 night, rather than doing round checks on Epstein every 30 minutes.
In a Thursday filing in Manhattan federal court, prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss claims against Tova Noel, 33 and Michael Thomas, 43, after both complied with the six-month no-jail deal they agreed to in May.
Although the prosecutors’ notice of nolle prosecqui (meaning not to want to prosecute) was filed December 13th, the court did not make the document public until Thursday. This occurred just one day after Maxwell was found guilty by a jury on five out six counts related to sex trafficking.
They both admitted that they had ‘willfully, knowingly,’ falsified records in order to appear to be monitoring Epstein correctly.
Deferred prosecution agreements stipulated that each must perform 100 hours community service and assist in federal investigations arising out of Epstein’s death.
On Thursday, Manhattan Federal Court prosecutors requested that a judge dismiss all claims against Tova Norel (33) and Michael Thomas (43). This was after the two had complied to the no-jail six month agreement they signed in May.
Jeffrey Epstein’s cell in the Metropolitan Detention Center, Manhattan
Following the discovery of Epstein dead officers said to a supervisor, “messed up” and had “no checks done in the hours prior to his suicide.”
Epstein, who was in sex-trafficking trial at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, was discovered hanging in his cell.
Noel was scheduled to appear at a public hearing in December 16th, but Thomas’s appearance was canceled abruptly on December 15.
A legal notice that was published just days after Maxwell was found guilty for sextrafficking stated that Thomas, Noel, and Thomas had complied with all terms of the non prosecution agreement. They also completed community service.
Epstein was in Metropolitan Correctional Center’s cell, waiting to be tried for sex-trafficking.
William Barr was the US Attorney General at that time. He had become angry about the fact that such an inmate, with high profile, could kill himself in federal custody.
After he was discovered on July 23, 2019, with bruises to his neck, Epstein was on suicide watch. A week before his death, Epstein was released from suicide watch. This meant that he was monitored less frequently but should still be checked at least every 30 minutes.
WARNING GRAPHIC GRAPHIC IMAGES
Maxwell seen with Jeffrey Epstein. Jeffrey Epstein killed himself in prison on July 19, 2019, while Maxwell was supposed to have been under close surveillance
Jeffrey Epstein, Jeffrey Epstein’s body and cell photos. The noose that he used for his suicide attempt is also shown.
Following the discovery of the inmate’s death at 6.30am they allegedly informed a supervisor that they had’messed it up’ and “didn’t perform any checks” in the hours prior to his suicide.
Two guards were shopping on-line for furniture and napping, instead of checking on the millionaire homosexual in their jail cell 15 feet away.
A 2019 indictment states that Thomas and Noel were sleeping and surfing the web instead of checking Epstein’s cells at the Metropolitan Correctional Center August 10, when Epstein committed suicide.
The officers discovered that the inmate was dead around 6.30 AM. They allegedly admitted to a supervisor that they had’messed it up’ and hadn’t done any checks in the time before his death.
They were to perform joint institution counts at the following times: 4pm, 10pm and 12am; the guards would also be required to count the number of prisoners within the unit.
Noel started her career with the Bureau of Prisons June 2018, as a corrections officers at the Metropolitan Corrections Center.
She is a veteran who served six years in National Guard. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice as well as a minor in law from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
She was an assistant mailhandler for approximately a year before joining the federal Bureau of Prisons.
Thomas started working for the Bureau of Prisons in April 2007 and has been at Metropolitan Correctional Center as material supervisor since April 20, 2014.
View from Metropolitan Correctional Center. Jeffrey Epstein, a suspected sex dealer committed suicide August 10, 2019, at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. In September, the Metropolitan Correctional Center was shut down in Manhattan.
Michael Thomas, Tova Noel and Tova Sorensen are accused of falsely recognising they were conducting inmate counts in Jeffrey Epstein’s final hours before the Federal Court in New York City. New York, U.S.A. November 25, 2019.
Epstein was hanging from his cell in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.
The death of Epstein and his admission that he could kill himself behind bars in one of America’s most secure prisons was an embarrassment to the Bureau of Prisons. It also put a spotlight upon the Bureau of Prisons, which is often accused of serious misconduct.
There was a severe shortage of personnel at the agency. Guards were often required to work double shifts or worked overtime.
In September, the Metropolitan Correctional Center of Manhattan was shut down.
Maxwell was taken into custody by the Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn, in July 2020, as he awaits his sentencing.
Maxwell has yet to be sentenced. Last night, Maxwell returned to her MDC cell. She has complained repeatedly about it.
Maxwell, the daughter of a British newspaper mogul and a jet-setting celebrity who was a darling in society, complained about her treatment at the MDC as torture.
Her family wanted to appeal to the United Nations. She claimed she suffered inhumane treatment.
Justin Paperny is a federal prison consultant and said she will be moving to a new location soon that will bring about a significant improvement in her experience.
Paperny said that until Paperny is sentenced, her life in prison won’t be dramatically improved.
“She is enduring a very difficult situation in Brooklyn.
“It is a difficult place to spend time.”
A prison expert said that her new situation was akin to Disneyland.
Paperny claimed that the MDC was infamous well before Maxwell arrived.
In winter 2019, power and heating went out, which caused anger among 1,636 female and male inmates as well activists.
The Bureau of Prisons did not publish a detailed report on the prison conditions until July 2012. It had been commissioned by the Bureau of Prisons.
Paperny stated that the MDC will not be the same as her prison post-sentencement.
He stated, “Once her sentence is over she will feel like she won the lottery.”
For assistance in times of crisis please dial the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800 273-8255), or text TALK to 741-741 the Crisis Text Line.
Call the Samaritans at 116123 for confidential assistance or go to a branch. See www.samaritans.org for details.
Ghislaine Maxwell can be seen with a dark eye in an April photo that her lawyer submitted. They claimed it was evidence she had been abused while in prison (left). A court sketch is taken as the guilty verdicts of Maxwell are read.
Maxwell is in Brooklyn’s MDC currently, where her lawyer and family believe she is tortured.