Louis C. Powledge Unit Explained

Prison Name:	Louis C. Powledge Unit
Location:	1400 FM 3452 Palestine, Texas 75803
Status:	Operational
Classification:	G2, G3, Administrative Segregation, Outside Trusty
Capacity:	Unit: 816 Trustee Camp: 321
Opened:	July 1982
Former Name:	Beto II Unit
Managed By:	TDCJ Correctional Institutions Division
Warden:	Jimmy Bowman
County:	Anderson County
Country:	USA

The Louie C. Powledge Unit (B2, originally the Beto II Unit) is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) prison for men located in unincorporated Anderson County, Texas.^[1] The approximately 20518acres unit, co-located with the Beto, Coffield, and Michael prison units and the Gurney Unit transfer facility, is along Farm to Market Road 3452. The facility is located off of Farm to Market Road 645, 7miles west of Palestine.^[2]

The unit opened in July 1982 as the Beto II Unit.^[3] It was originally named after former Texas Department of Corrections (TDC) head George Beto.^[4] Construction of the bus repair facility began in October 1982 and ended in October 1984. The unit acquired additional acreage in October 1986. Construction of a 200-person trusty camp facility began in 1987 and ended in January 1989. In October 1988 the bus repair facility was converted into a manufacturer of dump beds and spreader boxes for the Highway Department dump trucks and of jail steel products for the construction of additional TDCJ units. The Louis C. Powledge Unit received its current name on May 5, 1995, after Louie C. Powledge, a former Assistant Director of Contract Construction.^[3]

In 2011 the Stiles Unit metal products plant closed. Its operations were consolidated with those of Powledge and Coffield Unit.^[5]

Notable Offenders

Current (as of 2019):

• Warren Jeffs^[6] –leader of Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, convicted of aggravated sexual assault of multiple children.
• Eddie Ray Routh – Convicted of murdering Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield in 2013.^[7]

Former:

• Carlos Coy (South Park Mexican) - Houston, Texas rapper convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child^[8]
• Royce Zeigler – convicted of the murder of Riley Ann Sawyers^[9]
• Terry Hornbuckle – former pastor in Arlington, TX church, convicted of raping females in congregation.^[10]

External links

• "Powledge Unit." Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Anderson County, TX. U.S. Census Bureau. 2022-08-14. 24 (PDF p. 25/41). Louis C Powledge Unit.
2. "Powledge Unit ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 13, 2010.
3. Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Turner Publishing Company, 2004. 104., .
4. "Beto, George John." Handbook of Texas. Retrieved on August 8, 2010.
5. Ward, Mike. "Prison industry programs a victim of economic recession." Austin American-Statesman. Sunday September 4, 2011. Retrieved on September 23, 2011.
6. "Offender Information Search: Jeffs, Warren Steed" (Archive). Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on December 28, 2015.
7. "[offender.tdcj.texas.gov/OffenderSearch/offenderDetail.action?sid=08977806 Routh, Eddie Ray]" (Archive). Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on December 28, 2015.
8. Web site: Offender Information Detail . Texas Department of Criminal Justice . 2009-07-10 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090705214718/http://168.51.178.33/webapp/TDCJ/index2.htm . 2009-07-05 . TDCJ Number 01110642 - SID 04236244
9. "Offender Search ." -- Enter "Royce Zeigler". TDCJ ID 01605580. Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on September 23, 2010.
10. Web site: Offender Information Detail: Hornbuckle, Terry. Texas Department of Criminal Justice. https://web.archive.org/web/20151227185411/http://offender.tdcj.texas.gov/OffenderSearch/offenderDetail.action?sid=07475658. 2015-12-27. live. 2010-06-05. TDCJ Number 01400102 - SID 07475658