Jim Bakker, head bowed and bound hand and foot, was led into federal prison to begin a 45-year sentence for defrauding thousands of followers of his television ministry.
"My reports are he's going through the process very normally," Warden Don Souther-land said after Bakker arrived at the Talladega Federal Correctional Institution late Tuesday.After surrendering his valuables, showering, leaving his fingerprints and donning prison garb, Bakker entered the cell he will share with "another lightweight security inmate," Southerland said.
After his arrival, the founder of PTL kept his eyes on the ground as six guards hustled him from a brown sedan to the entrance of the rural, medium-security prison in east Alabama.
Officials said he would stay here for about two weeks before transfer to another prison.
"Obviously, he is not a normal inmate, but he is being processed as a normal inmate," Southerland said.
Bakker had no comment for the dozens of reporters gathered at the red-brick prison surrounded by two 15-foot fences topped with razor wire.
"I'm deeply sorry for those I have hurt," Bakker said before sentencing. "I have sinned. But never in my life did I intend to defraud anyone."
Prosecutors didn't accept his apology. "This man is a con man, a common criminal," said Miller. "He's ready, willing and able to pick it up where he left it off. He's ready to go back to the henhouse."
U.S. District Judge Robert Potter of Charlotte, N.C., who sentenced Bakker on Tuesday, also fined him $500,000. Saying that Bakker was unrepentant and still trying to milk supporters for money, he ordered him to begin serving the sentence immediately.
Bakker would have to serve at least 10 years in prison before achieving parole unless a planned appeal is successful.
Southerland said Bakker was allowed to contact his family before being placed in his two-man cell for the night.
The warden said he had no details on what calls Bakker made. Bakker's wife, Tammy Faye Bakker, was not present at his trial.
Bakker was placed in a unit with about 375 other prisoners awaiting assignment, but the warden declined to identify the inmate who shared a cell with the defrocked TV evangelist.
Bakker's immediate family and attorneys can visit Bakker for one hour on weekdays and all day on weekends, Southerland said. Inmates are allowed out of their cells for meals and have access to a library, televisions and a pool table, he said.
Bakker will be able to attend religious services on Sunday, Souther-land said.
More than 1,000 inmates were at the prison Tuesday, although the number fluctuates widely because Talladega is often the first stop for prisoners in the Southeast.
Southerland said he knew the prison to which Bakker would be assigned, but declined to identify it for what he said were security reasons.
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Punishment
Prison sentence: 45 years.
Parole possible: After 10 years.
Fine: $500,000.
Charges: Eight counts mail fraud, 15 counts wire fraud and one count conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Maximum possible sentence: 120 years.
Trial: Nearly six weeks long, more than 100 prosecution witness, 75 defense witnesses.