Nxivm cult leader Keith Raniere wants to serve his time in protective unit

Lawyers for Nxivm cult leader Keith Raniere asked a judge Tuesday to recommend that he be placed in a federal prison with a “drop-out yard” — a protective unit for inmates who could be targeted in the general population due to their crimes or celebrity status.

“In light of the media interest in this case and due to the nature of the offense conduct . . . we request that the Court recommend to the Bureau of Prisons that Mr. Raniere be housed at a facility that has a special or sensitive needs unit (sometimes called a ‘drop-out yard’),” wrote attorney Marc Agnifilo in a letter to US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis.

Agnifilo specifically suggested FCI Allenwood in Pennsylvania or another facility that is within an eight-hour drive of New York City, so Raniere can meet with his lawyers to hone his appeal.

Garaufis slammed the self-styled guru with 120 years in prison last week for running a twisted sex-slave cult where women were branded like cattle and forced to sleep with him.

It took a jury less than five hours to convict him of all seven felony counts — including sex trafficking, racketeering, child pornography and forced labor.