SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — New complaints within the Sumter County federal correctional facility have surfaced as the Department of Justice toughens its restrictions on releasing inmates for home confinement.

There are at least three staff members and one inmate who have tested positive for coronavirus at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex.

Wednesday, Spectrum News 13’s Watchdog Reporter Stephanie Coueignoux broke the story that former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown was released from prison.

Brown was released despite not meeting new Department of Justice criteria. That new criteria is that an inmate should serve at least half of their sentence. Brown did not.

The 73-year-old was month shy of the halfway mark of her five-year sentence.

​Attorney David Haas previously represented Brown. We asked him about Brown’s release and whether it points to political favoritism.

Haas says that is tough to say.

“The Bureau of Prisons has the obligation to protect the health and welfare of people who are in custody such as Corrine Brown. So that’s why you’re seeing people being released who have served less than 50 percent,” he explained.

But many families are heartbroken. Their loved ones now being told they will not be release because they haven’t served enough time.

Stephanie Tanner’s 67-year-old mother, who is one year shy of 50 percent, is one of those inmates.

“If something happens to her, I will lose my mother! I will lose her,” Tanner said.

Cameron Blaze is an attorney who represents three inmates at the Coleman Complex. Blaze believes releasing inmates on home confinement is a matter of life and death, pointing out the Legionnaire’s Outbreak at the women’s facility in January.

“My concern is that if Coleman struggled to solve that problem, it was a crisis, but it was a small crisis. How on earth can we expect Coleman to successfully (handle) this crisis?’ Blaze explained.

Spectrum News 13 has repeatedly asked the Bureau of Prisons to clarify the 50 percent guidelines but have yet to hear back.

In a memo we obtained and confirmed Thursday evening, the Department of Justice is now directing prisons to prioritize inmates based on time served, instead of a required amount of time. Both attorneys and advocates indicate the BOP and DOJ are continuously revising their guidelines when it comes to home confinement.

Wednesday, Department of Justice Director Michael Carvajal issued a video message saying, in part, “… the Department confirmed the Bureau has discretion under the Attorney General’s memorandum …”

Corrine Brown’s attorney has not responded to our inquiries for comment on her early release.

As of March 26, 1,362 inmates have been placed on home confinement. There are currently more than 171,000 federal inmates.