OKLAHOMA CITY ? Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols was moved Sunday from the Oklahoma County Jail to McAlester, where his trial is set to begin in about three weeks.

Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel confirmed reports that Nichols was transferred during the early morning hours.

“Transportation was done without incident under heavy guard,” said Whetsel, who supervised the transfer.

Nichols, 48, was turned over to the Pittsburg County sheriff at 8:45 a.m. He is being held at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, the state’s maximum-security facility in McAlester.

District Judge Steven Taylor, who is presiding over Nichols’ trial, signed an order in December to transfer his custody to Pittsburg County from Oklahoma County, where he has been housed since arriving from a Florence, Colo., federal prison on Jan. 31, 2000.