A man dubbed as “the most dangerous inmate ever held in the US prison system” spent 36 years in solitary confinement, marking a record in federal prison history. Despite his seemingly ordinary appearance in a mugshot, he earned nicknames like “Terrible Tom” and “America’s most dangerous prisoner” due to his involvement in multiple murders and leadership within a notorious prison gang. His violent actions prompted the establishment of the “supermax” prison, a high-security facility designed to house the most dangerous criminals in the country.
Thomas Silverstein, who lived 67 years, spent the last 42 years behind bars, with 36 of those years in solitary confinement. Reports suggest that at times, he was subjected to a “no human contact” status for either punishment or safety reasons, depending on who you ask. One of his victims was correction officer Merle Clutts, which led to Silverstein being isolated and monitored closely by prison authorities.
Silverstein’s criminal history included the murder of two other prisoners before he killed Mr. Clutts in 1983 at Marion prison in Illinois. His ties to the Aryan Brotherhood, a neo-Nazi prison gang involved in various criminal activities, date back to 1980. The violent incidents at Marion prison triggered an “indefinite lockdown” while Silverstein was later transferred to the federal “supermax” prison in Florence, Colorado, alongside other notorious criminals.
Born in Long Beach, California, Silverstein’s troubled past led to multiple criminal activities, landing him in prison for armed robbery at a young age. Over the years, he became associated with the Aryan Brotherhood, known for its criminal enterprise both inside and outside prison walls.
Silverstein’s life in prison was marked by brutality and isolation, which he claimed fueled his descent into violence. Despite his infamous reputation, some individuals who knew him during his incarceration described him as more complex than portrayed, citing the challenging conditions he endured and the responses they provoked.
Silverstein passed away in 2019 at a Colorado hospital due to complications from heart surgery. His treatment in prison was deemed harsh, but officials struggled to find viable alternatives for managing his violent tendencies, given the absence of the death penalty as a sentencing option.
