Inside Lori Loughlin’s prison stint and why she potentially hasn’t spoken with daughter Olivia Jade: expert
The actress could be out by Christmastime
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EXCLUSIVE: Lori Loughlin is weeks away from her release from prison at FCI Dublin and while she’s readying herself for reclamation into life outside the gates, the “Full House” alum is still reportedly feeling the effects of being locked up every day.
Loughlin, 56, began her two-month stint at the remote California prison in late October and was immediately quarantined upon arrival. The actress has since been out of quarantine, however, like all prisons across the country, FCI Dublin has currently modified their operations in order to mitigate further spread of the novel coronavirus, which could mean limited phone access for inmates.
It appears that is currently the case for Loughlin as her daughter, YouTube star Olivia Jade, revealed on an appearance of "Red Table Talk" on Tuesday that she actually hasn't spoken to her "best friend" Loughlin or father Mossimo Giannulli since they entered prison walls to serve out their respective sentences for their roles in the infamous college admissions scandal.
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“There’s a quarantine phase because of COVID, so I think that’s the reason, but I haven’t heard anything,” Olivia told hosts Jada Pinkett-Smith, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield-Jones. “I’m just waiting.”
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According to Holli Coulman, a Dallas, Texas-based leading prison consultant and former felon, modified operations means due to COVID the actress' current situation is similar to that of quarantine.
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“So that means they can't go out of their unit and that means where they sleep," Coulman, who currently has clients in FCI Dublin, claimed to Fox News before the "Red Table Talk" episode aired.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Prisons told Fox News that amid the pandemic, "the BOP has implemented modified operations in order to maximize social distancing in our facilities as much as practicable. Therefore, inmates are limited in their movements to avoid congregate gathering and maximize social distancing."
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Furthermore, as of Monday, amid the latest state-mandated stay-at-home order, the facility has suspended all visitations until further notice.
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As far as phones, when reached for comment by Fox News, FCI Dublin said that telephones are made available for inmate use, but hours vary based on the facility's inmate handbook. In addition, the Bureau of Prisons said in a statement that inmates have been allotted an extra 200 minutes to use for phone calls amid the modified operations for a total of 500 minutes. Generally, if an inmate exhausts her 300-minute limitation, she must submit an Inmate Request.
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When it comes to meal options, inmates are served a bagged breakfast which consists of dry cereal, a granola bar and a piece of fruit, in addition to lunch and dinner, per the prison National Menu.
"There's a small group of women who are going in and putting together these bagged meals and they're coming into the unit handing them out," Coulman claimed, adding that it's due to the modified operations FCI Dublin is currently under.
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In a statement to Fox News, the Bureau of Prisons said that food services "continue to operate," however with "appropriate screening" under coronavirus mandates.
Lori Loughlin has been 'humbled' in her time behind bars, prison consultant Holli Coulman claimed to Fox News. Coulman has clients in FCI Dublin where Loughlin is currently serving out her sentence. (Getty)
Also, as part of any modified prison operation, inmates can't shower every day and are showering three times a week – which for a successful actress whose family is worth millions, could put a damper on a long day.
In addition, Loughlin is serving out her time with bunkies and the standalone prison doesn’t house different classifications of offenders.
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"Where she sleeps, everybody thinks it's a cell but it's not," Coulman explained. “Just think of a Costco – big, open and rows and rows of cubicles, cinderblocks about eight feet high.
"And there are two bunk beds in each, two plastic chairs, one writing desk and four lockers. Currently, she has a pair of tennis shoes, a pair of boots, a pair of shower shoes and her uniforms. That's it," Coulman described.
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Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli are currently serving overlapping prison sentences. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
Despite the lack of creature comforts, Coulman maintained, “[Lori] is going to be fine.”
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Coulman claimed a part of the reason is that while a number of the women currently being housed at FCI Dublin allegedly resent Loughlin’s “bogus” sentence, Loughlin has also grown close with others and is essentially earning herself a crash course in Oprah’s school of conversation.
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Lori Loughlin pleaded guilty to charges stemming from $500,000 payments to get her daughters admitted into the University of Southern California. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
“Because they're locked in a unit, she's really not mingling around with everybody and it's just primarily the people in her little row area,” Coulman explained.
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“She's been very humbled and she's been listening to other people's stories," Coulman claimed of Loughlin.
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In her plea agreement, Loughlin agreed to serve two months and pay a $150,000 fine along with two years of supervised release and 100 hours of community service. Her fashion designer husband, meanwhile, agreed to serve five months in prison, pay a $250,000 fine with two years of supervised release and 250 hours of community service.
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Loughlin was handed the sentence after she and Giannulli pleaded guilty to charges stemming from $500,000 payments to scam mastermind William “Rick” Singer to get their daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Giannulli, recruited onto University of Southern California's crew team. The two had never participated in the sport.
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Loughlin could be released by Christmastime.
Fox News has reached out to Loughlin's rep for comment.