Prison Sucks, Richard Hatch Says

NEW YORK, NY -- Gay reality star Richard Hatch, who won $1 million on "Survivor," says being in prison for failing to pay taxes on his reality TV prize and other income is no day at the beach.

Hatch was sentenced to 51 months in prison, and is at the Federal Correctional Institution in Morgantown, W.Va., a minimum security facility, AP reports.

"Obviously, this is better than the county lockup," Hatch tells People magazine in its March 26 issue. "There's no fence here. But people think I've come to a country club. It's not. This is prison. Just because it's got a beautiful view of the countryside doesn't make it a resort. And it's horrendous because I'm an innocent man in jail."

Following his conviction, Hatch says he spent "six horrendous months" at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Mass.

"We were all in a small room - 52 people: child molesters, murderers, rapists and me," he recalls. "For six months I never left that room. There were no doors, no privacy. There were two TVs in that room, so I lived all day long with 'Jerry Springer' blaring."