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The Most Common Mistake When Sending Money to FCI Sandstone (and how to avoid it)

Trying to put money on someone's books at FCI Sandstone? One small addressing mistake can stall everything — sending money to the prison's address instead of where it actually needs to go.

• 2 min read • bop.gov
The Most Common Mistake When Sending Money to FCI Sandstone (and how to avoid it)

Here's the mistake: mailing money directly to FCI Sandstone's facility address. The Bureau of Prisons is clear - don't do it. If you're sending funds by mail, they need to go to a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa. This applies to all federal inmates, no matter which facility they're at.

Warning: Don’t mail money to FCI Sandstone’s facility address. Mailed funds must go to the BOP processing center in Des Moines, Iowa.

When your money goes through the right channels, it doesn't show up as cash in hand. At FCI Sandstone, funds from family and friends get deposited into the inmate's commissary account - basically a simple bank account inside the facility. That's what they use to buy items that aren't regularly issued by the institution.

Note: Your deposit goes into a commissary account, not a general cash fund. That affects how the money can actually be used.

The Most Common Mistake When Sending Money to FCI Sandstone (and how to avoid it)
  1. Send mailed funds to the Des Moines processing center (not the prison) - the BOP requires all funds sent through the mail to be addressed to a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa.
  1. Call FCI Sandstone when you’re unsure - if you need to confirm instructions before you send anything (or you’re already coordinating a visit), call 603-342-4000.

Tip: Use the current BOP “send funds” instructions before you mail anything. Processing details can change, so a quick double-check can save days of delays.

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  • ✓ Confirm you’re using the BOP processing center destination in Des Moines, Iowa (not the facility address)
  • ✓ Verify the currently accepted deposit methods for mailed funds before you send anything
  • ✓ Double-check what payee details are required so the deposit is credited to the right person
  • ✓ Keep your receipt or proof of purchase until the funds show up in the inmate’s commissary account
  • ✓ If you can’t find the processing center’s exact mailing address on the current BOP instructions, call the facility to confirm it

Keep your transaction record until you're sure the deposit went through. Since deposits sit in the commissary account the Bureau maintains, having that receipt makes it much easier to follow up if something gets delayed or credited incorrectly.

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