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The reasons they are in prison: a summary (help wanted!)

posted 8 years ago by Dory_Darko
72 replies | jump to latest

One of the more interesting aspects of OITNB, is the fact that we’re never really specifically told what these women did that earned them a one-way ticket to Litchfield. Some crimes we know about, some are hinted at, and many, at this point, are still a complete mystery.

So I thought we could make a list. Because let’s face it: when it comes to inmates, we’re all more than a little bit curious… I also hope some of you can help me fill in the gaps. Some of these I’m really not sure about, or maybe I missed something? So any help would be greatly appreciated.

Here’s what we know for a fact:
Piper: smuggled drug money across the border.
Alex: drug trafficking.
Sophia: credit card fraude.
Gloria Mendoza: income (tax) fraude.
Lorna Morello: stalking.
Pennsatucky: killed the abortion clinic lady with a shotgun.
Crazy Eyes: (as we just found out) is responsible for the kidnapping and death of a young boy.
Poussey: (as we also just found out) “possession of illegal substances with intent to sell – less than 15 grams”.
Flaca: inadvertently responsible for her classmate’s suicide.
Maritza Ramos: grand theft auto on a high-class level.
Aleida Diaz: drug manufacturing and dealing.
Yoga Jones: accidentally shot and killed an 8-year-old boy (thinking he was a deer…)
Sister Jane Ingalls: was apparently incarcerated because of some kind of protest? (somebody help me here because I never got this…)
Frieda: 4 counts of murder in a single year. Allowed to “retire” in Litchfield because of age and good behavior.
Chang: apparently was some kind of major crime mogul back in her day…
Judy King (a.k.a. Martha Stewart): tax evasion/fraude.
Red: something really big to do with the Russian mob. And thanks to Pictatella we now know ‘they’ found 5 bodies in her freezer…

Here’s what we had to read between the lines:
Nicky: not entirely sure, but I can only assume it has something to do with drugs.
Maria Ruiz: something to do with drugs?
Leanne Taylor: also something with drugs…
Angie Rice: DEFINITELY drugs. Even though her story has not been told yet.

And here’s what we DON’T know (or I wasn’t paying attention):
Daya: ??
Big Boo: ??
Taystee: ??
Cindy: ??
Janae: ??
Norma: Ok, we know that she pushed the creepy cult-guy off a cliff, but there were NO witnesses around when it happened and as far as the police was concerned, he could have just as easily jumped or slipped. So I don’t get it.
Blanca Flores: ??
Brook Soso: ??
Anita DeMarco: I have a feeling it was disclosed, but I missed it?
Lolly Whitehill: ??

These are what I consider to be the most important characters, let’s leave the rest for now. Thanks to everyone who’s still reading this and taking the time to reply!

[–] deborahkerr1992 8 years ago

Also Gloria is guilty of welfare fraud. She was a accepting EBT cards from customers so that they could buy booze. Then with the remaining balance, she would charge the government for groceries that were never purchased with thee card. In turn the government would reimburse her the money.

[–] amberalso 8 years ago

Also, didn't Gloria's boyfriend (the abusive one) get trapped in the back room of the store and die in a fire caused by her 'magic' candles? Is it possible that she received some extra charges related to that incident? Just wondering...

[–] webmiss88 8 years ago

I doubt it. She was already in jail by then.

[–] BelleStar82 8 years ago

They definitely threw in a couple red herrings so the audience thinks they know where the backstory is heading, but then they put in a twist, so it can be confusing sometimes.

I feel bad for Flaca. I think she is one of the most "innocent" but I guess she was showing the beginnings of being a con artist. The reason she got the time was not so much the "drug" aspect (because they weren't real) but more because a minor died. With a high school tragedy, they had to pin it on someone. The school probably did all they could to blame Flaca so that they would not be liable.

[–] beantownratt 8 years ago

I agree with you in that Flaca is one of the most innocent but the death of the classmate doesn't explain the Federal lock-up. That would be state prison time I know the writers play fast and loose with some of the crimes and Federal time..but this would be beyond the pale for a manslaughter charge. It has to be more to do with the drug part of her charges and sentencing. Then again, how big of an operation/scam could she be running in high school, and did it cross state lines?

[–] rphilip1 8 years ago

I'm no lawyer but some of those don't sound like federal crimes.

[–] beantownratt 8 years ago

None of them...the manslaughter nor the manufacturing and distribution of fake drugs would warrant a Federal charge or prison. Unless there was a component to the crime they haven't showed us ie... mailing the drugs through the US Postal Service,using the internet which she did to get the template for the fake LSD tabs but that's still a stretch. Then again, it is television.

[–] Tufflaw 8 years ago

You're correct, nothing she did should have been handled by the feds. In fact, when they come to get her it's a local police officer and detective and they talk about bringing her to the precinct. A lot of the crimes on this show are not ones that would ordinarily be handled federally.

[–] sarasaura 8 years ago

She was being charged with fraud for selling fake drugs.

[–] beantownratt 8 years ago

That still doesn't explain why she is in Federal prison as opposed to a State prison.

[–] eclipsed-bythe-moon 8 years ago

I also found the scene where Flaca had to take a test very telling of her character. She was likely not a good student and struggled academically. Her decision to sell fake drugs gave her a sense of control. It's sad because studies estimate a range of 60-90% (wide range but consistently too high a percentage) of juvenile delinquents have unidentified learning disabilities. Very smart depiction by the writers. I'd love to see this problem that plagues our education and prison systems further explored.

[–] beantownratt 8 years ago

Interesting you post this now. I'm re-watching the series and season 3 there is a throw away line said by Maritza to Flaca in the kitchen. She said something snarky about Flaca's ADD.

[–] michele-r-wells 8 years ago

Big Boo: ??
Taystee: ??

Big Boo had something to do with illegal gambling, from Season 3, I think.
Taystee was working for Vee, so something with drug trafficking.

[–] fede_4488 8 years ago

Good thread. I don't remember everyone from the previous season but this one I have no memory of

Flaca: inadvertently responsible for her classmate’s suicide

If I don't reply, you're probably on my ignore list for something I forgot already

[–] Losingtouch 8 years ago

Lorna also attempted to murder Christopher by planting ammunition on his car.

[–] Mikunitk 8 years ago

Lorna also attempted to murder Christopher by planting ammunition on his car.

I think they said it was on his girlfriend's car, "explosive device" or so.

[–] Dory_Darko 8 years ago

Some of you have truly excellent memory! Many of these details are completely lost on me for some reason...

[–] amberalso 8 years ago

Why is Flaca in a federal prison if she was in high school at the time of her offense?

[–] beantownratt 8 years ago

If you read some of the previous posts, there are some explanations as to why she might be in a Federal prison as opposed to a State prison. She must have been tried in regular court instead of juvenile court because she is in an adult facility.

[–] evguenimlodik 8 years ago

I think it was revealed this season (maybe even retconned?) that Pennsatucky didn't murder the nurse, just severely wounded her.

[–] beantownratt 8 years ago

Boo said she did "kill that nurse in cold blood" in S4. It says it on the Wiki page also. Then again, I remember something about the gun being loaded with "squirrel pellets". It would take a lot of pellets and velocity to kill with basically bird-shot. I suppose it would depend on where you got shot with it too. I don't remember a reveal about it this season.

[–] agnieszka01 8 years ago

Flaca is in there for fabricating and selling fake drugs, not for the death it indirectly caused. As they said when they arrested her, it doesn't matter that it was just fake drugs printed on paper; it's still a crime.

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