HANCOCK STATE PRISON

State Prison Close Security GDC (Georgia Dept. of Corrections) Male

30 Source Articles 65 Events

Facility Information

Original Design Capacity: 500 (at 234% capacity)
→ Part of the system-wide architecture — see the receipts
Bed Capacity: 1,191 beds
Current Population: 1,169
Active Lifers: 260 (22.2% of population) · Oct 2026 GDC report
Life Without Parole: 215 (18.4%)

Why design capacity matters: Adding beds to a prison does not increase medical facilities, educational programs, kitchen capacity, counseling services, or recreation areas. In Brown v. Plata (2011), the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an order capping California's prisons at 137.5% of design capacity, after federal courts found that crowding was the primary cause of unconstitutional medical and mental-health care.
What the courts held in Brown v. Plata, and how Georgia compares →

Address: 701 Prison Boulevard, Sparta, GA 31087
Phone: (706) 444-1000
Fax: (706) 444-1137
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 339, Sparta, GA 31087
County: Hancock County
Opened: 1992
Operator: GDC (Georgia Dept. of Corrections)

Security Classification

Last updated: October 2, 2026

867 of the 1,168 people held here are classified Close security (74.2%), as of September 23, 2026.

Security level	People	Share
Close	867	74.2%
Medium	265	22.7%
Minimum	36	3.1%
Total	1,168

Earlier count (undated table, produced October 22, 2025): 885 of 1,195 Close (74.1%).

Restrictive housing beds

Program	Beds	Occupied
Tier II	83	82

Source: Georgia Department of Corrections records produced to GPS under the Open Records Act (R031471-090226, R024615-101925, R031710-091426). A person's security level is GDC's classification of that person, which can differ from the prison's own designation.

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Leadership & Accountability (as of 2026 records)

Officials currently holding positional authority at this facility, with deaths attributed to GPS-tracked records during their leadership tenure. Inclusion reflects role-based accountability, not legal findings of personal culpability. Death counts shown as facility / career.

Role	Name	Since	Deaths this facility / career
Warden (facility lead)	Williams, JOE	2025-01-01	7 / 9
Deputy Warden of Security (facility deputy)	Sanford, Paul Anthony	2023-01-01	13 / 13
Deputy Warden of Administration (facility deputy)	Adams, Chequita	2026-01-16	6 / 6
Deputy Warden of Care and Treatment (facility deputy)	Mitchell, Rashedah Fayola	2026-02-01	5 / 5
Deputy Warden of Security (facility deputy)	Mahoney, Tamika	2026-07-16	2 / 2

About

Last updated November 8, 2026.(DS)

Hancock State Prison: A Close-Security Facility Built for 500, Staffed at a Fraction of That

Hancock State Prison sits on Prison Boulevard in Sparta, in Hancock County, a close-security men's prison that opened in 1992 with an original design capacity of 500. GPS's facility record puts its current rated capacity at 1,191 and its population at 1,169 — 98.2 percent of rated capacity, and more than twice what the plant was built to hold. It houses many of the state's highest-risk prisoners under Tier I and Tier II close-custody management, with multiple segregation and isolation units and an annex area alongside dormitory housing. Its programming is documented in the record largely through the prison's garment factory and vocational training, and through the mental-health and dental staffing that contractors bill for by the hour.

What follows is an account of what the public record shows about Hancock: a facility where the state's own purchasing documents, inspection scores, court settlements, and death records describe a prison under sustained strain, and where the gap between what Georgia's Department of Corrections reports and what families, former officers, and incarcerated people describe has become the central fact of the place.

Built for 500, Holding 1,169, Staffed at 73.5 Percent Vacant

The most concrete measure of Hancock's condition comes from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which reported in January 2025 that Hancock had one of the GDC's highest correctional officer vacancy rates — 73.5 percent of positions vacant as of October 2024, leaving only 49 officers on staff for more than 1,100 prisoners. The same reporting found that consultants had determined staffing vacancies at 20 of Georgia's 34 prisons had reached "emergency levels," making it impossible to keep up with even basic protocols, and that cell locks at many prisons are broken.

That figure sits inside a systemwide pattern GPS has documented: officer vacancies across Georgia's prisons have run between 49.3 percent and 60 percent for multiple years against a national standard of no more than 10 percent, and the hiring pipeline cannot close the gap — an acceptance rate under 15 percent, with 82.7 percent of new hires leaving in their first year. The October 2024 U.S. Department of Justice findings letter concluded that "the leadership of the Georgia Department of Corrections has lost control of its facilities" and faulted GDC for placing "too much blame on gangs and insufficient emphasis on understaffing."

GPS records show the staffing problem persisting into the present: 12 distinct staffing-shortage signals at Hancock in the twelve months from January through October 2026, six of them concentrated in September alone, at severities ranging from critical to low.

The staffing crisis has a human face in the record of Tyler Ryals, a former GDC CERT commander. In a recorded interview, Ryals said the GDC human resources director called him and offered to place him at Hancock State Prison as a lieutenant with pay unchanged, telling him he would not get in trouble. Ryals told the HR director he would not accept the Hancock lieutenant position. In a September 2026 YouTube live, Ryals said Hancock State Prison is in shambles, like the other level-five prisons. In a January 2026 interview on The Dai Room, a former GDC officer whose stated career matches Ryals said that six or seven years ago Hancock State Prison hardly had incidents because it was a level-five facility with programs.

Twenty-Eight Deaths Since 2020, Seventeen of Them Homicides

GPS has recorded 28 deaths at Hancock State Prison since January 1, 2020, and 17 of those are classified in GPS's registry as homicides. The full list is maintained at gps.press/georgia-prison-deaths/facility/hancock-state-prison/. The registry counts are a floor: GDC reports deaths roughly two months late, and GPS's count reflects what has been documented, not what has happened.

The most recent deaths GPS has recorded at Hancock:

Devin Cole Edwards died October 30, 2026, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending.
Albert Chapa died July 30, 2026, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 57.
Jacorey Derrelle Pearson died April 7, 2026, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 36.
Jerrod Johnson died February 18, 2026, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 27.
Jaylin Bell died February 6, 2026, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 32.
Steven Monroe Wood died January 25, 2026, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 54.
Andre Rashad Weems died September 9, 2025, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 36.
Brian Smith died July 24, 2025, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 30.
Corey Jose July died June 17, 2025, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 33.
John T Childree died April 9, 2025, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 60.
William Holeman died January 30, 2025, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide.
Prince Porter died January 30, 2025, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide.
Travon Montrell Walthour died October 13, 2024, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 29.
Ralph Thompson died October 8, 2024, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 53.
Timothy Dale Hicks died August 22, 2023, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Suicide. He was 37.
Francisco Melgar-Saldivar died August 12, 2023, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 26.
Roland Lamont Phillips died June 28, 2023, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 33.
Norman Jackson Samples died December 27, 2022, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 59.
Zackery Phillip Brown died December 23, 2022, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Suicide. He was 39.
Terry Lee Bishop died October 18, 2022, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 49.
Antione Lamar Bush died June 18, 2022, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical. He was 32.
Charles Tristen Mckee died May 23, 2022, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 24.
Terrill Bernard Howard died October 17, 2021, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Other. He was 51.
Michael Anthony Brown died June 26, 2021, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical. He was 54.
Dwayne Zackery died February 12, 2021, at Hancock State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 22.

Three additional deaths fall outside the 25 most recent but inside the since-2020 count: Rashad Bolton (January 4, 2021, homicide, age 29), Cesar Arnold Pastrana (March 13, 2020, homicide, age 33), and Xaysana Thao (December 20, 2020, Natural/Medical, age 40).

The registry's cause categories are not autopsy findings. GDC codes Xaysana Thao's death as "Natural" and Michael Anthony Brown's as "Natural," and the record notes that the cause-of-death classification is GDC's own coding, not a pathologist's determination. Terrill Bernard Howard's death is coded "Undetermined" on the same basis. Where GPS's registry shows Unknown/Pending, the cause is genuinely not yet known.

A Yard, a Locked Gate, and a Corridor With No One In It

The homicide cases at Hancock have produced criminal convictions, civil settlements, and a federal investigation, and they share a physical geography.

Corey Jose July, 33, was killed in the prison yard on June 17, 2025. WGXA reported that Vershaun Smith chased down and stabbed fellow inmate Corey Jose July multiple times, as shown in surveillance footage presented at trial; 41NBC reported that Smith chased July, cornered him at a locked gate, and stabbed him multiple times in the prison yard. A Hancock County jury convicted Vershaun Smith of malice murder, and Judge Alison T. Burleson sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to the Ocmulgee District Attorney's Office.

Charles "Tristen" James McKee, 24, died May 23, 2022, after being stabbed 13 times in the back and head, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The U.S. Department of Justice investigation found that McKee tried to escape gang members who were beating and stabbing him by jumping through stair railings to the floor below, but the gang members continued to stab him there; another prisoner trying to stop the attack was seriously wounded. A lawsuit alleges McKee was placed in a dorm with known gang members who were hostile to LGBTQ inmates, and that staff failed to act on his repeated requests to be moved the day before he was murdered. A Hancock County jury convicted prisoner Cleveland Gary in the slaying; the AJC reported that Gary struck McKee six times in the head with a 17-inch homemade machete after a fight had already ended.

Roland Lamont Phillips, 33, died June 28, 2023, from multiple sharp force injuries including 11 puncture wounds to the front torso and one to the neck, according to the AJC. A murder warrant was served against his cellmate. Francisco Zaldivar Melgar-Saldivar, 26, died August 12, 2023, from strangulation and blunt force injuries; a claim filed against the state alleges he was not provided appropriate medical care after being attacked by another prisoner.

Earlier cases follow the same shape. Travon Walthour, 29, was killed October 13, 2024; four other prisoners were involved in his death according to GDC incident report data. Dwayne Zackery Jr., 22, died February 12, 2021, from a stab wound to the chest with a homemade knife; death data states he was stabbed by his cellmate. Rashad Bolton, 29, died January 4, 2021, from a puncture wound to the chest with a sharp object, and his parents filed a lawsuit claiming he was stabbed to death. Cesar Arnold Pastrana Morales, 33, died March 13, 2020, from a stab wound to the chest; an incident report shows five other inmates were involved. Norman Samples, 59, died December 27, 2022, from blunt force injuries to the head and torso. Terry Lee Bishop, 49, died October 18, 2022, from blunt force trauma, acute toxicity of methamphetamine, and acute toxicity of cannabinoids; death data show he was beaten to death by another prisoner.

The January 2025 deaths came in a cluster. William Holeman, 34, and Prince Porter, 38, were found dead in the same dorm about 15 to 20 feet apart following gang-related violence on Thursday, January 30, 2025, the AJC reported. Porter had a single puncture wound in his upper back; Holeman had no visible marks. A third prisoner was hospitalized as a result of the violence; no information on his condition was available the following day. GDC's January 2025 mortality data lists Holeman's cause of death as "Homocide. Undetermined/ Awaiting Autopsy Report" and Porter's as "Homocide, Undetermined/ Awaiting Autopsy Report."

Settlements, Suits, and What the State Has Paid For

Georgia's open-records settlement ledger documents what the state has paid out for incidents at Hancock. The largest single payout in the record is $600,000, tied to the 2019 death of Geberyesus Yemane Selassie. Rashad Bolton's 2021 death produced a $437,500 settlement; Charles McKee's 2022 death produced $424,710. Smaller settlements include $13,800 for Freedie Barnes (2016), $250 for Rico Sterling (2016), and $2,000 for Michael Bolick (2015).

The litigation record also includes the case of Amanuel Selassie Geberyesus, whom prison officials placed in a regular cell contrary to a counselor's advice after he expressed suicidal thoughts; he subsequently hung himself, the AJC reported.

GDC itself has stated a need to increase the number of mental health staff to expand services at Hancock State Prison — a statement recorded in court-verified filings. The contract record shows what that staffing looks like in practice. Centurion's proposed staffing matrix for Hancock totals 608 weekly hours (15.20 FTE), including a physician at 40 weekly hours, an LPN at 192 weekly hours, an RN at 60 weekly hours, and 20 weekly evening RN hours. Centurion Amendment 1 lists 40 estimated weekly primary care physician hours for Hancock at a weekly rate of $144 per hour, and sets estimated weekly hours for nurse practitioners and physician assistants at 8 hours.

Mental health staffing is thinner still. MHM's FY23 staffing table for Hancock totals 3.65 mental health FTEs at 146.00 hours per week with an annual cost of $409,548.97 — including 0.25 FTE psychologist at $83.78 per hour. MHM Amendment 13 allocates Hancock 0.25 FTE psychologist at 10.00 hours per week, 1.00 FTE MH Unit Manager at 40.00 hours, 2.00 FTE mental health counselors at 80.00 hours, and 0.40 FTE psychiatrists at 16.00 hours per week, for an annual cost of $120,717. Dental staffing totals 2.50 FTEs at 100.00 hours per week, with dental hygienist duties split with Baldwin State Prison.

The Tier II Bed Count and the Classification Question

GDC's own report places the Tier Segregation System at Hancock State Prison, with 83 Tier II beds, 82 occupied, one vacant — 98.80 percent occupancy. The facility record describes Hancock as housing many of the state's highest-risk prisoners under Tier I and Tier II close-custody management.

That near-total occupancy of the segregation tier is the facility-level expression of a pattern GPS has documented across the system: classification drift, in which medium-security facilities operate as close security without adequate staffing and infrastructure. GPS has published a report titled "The Classification Crisis: How Four Medium Security Prisons Are Killing People," documenting classification drift. Hancock's own designation is close-security, and its rated capacity of 1,191 against an original design capacity of 500 is the arithmetic of that drift.

The record also shows Hancock receiving prisoners transferred in from other security levels. GPS's reporting describes the transfer of John Morgan Coleman, an 82-year-old lifer, from medium security to close security at Hancock State Prison.

September 2026: The Stabbings, the Doorway Check, and the Suture Kits

On September 3, 2026, Tyler Ryals, a former GDC officer, wrote on Facebook that he had received information concerning potential gang tensions and the possibility of violence at Hancock State Prison. He wrote that he immediately called the prison's main control and spoke with Captain Williamson to report the warning. Approximately one hour later, he wrote, he was informed that the lieutenant on duty went to the affected area and simply asked whether everyone was okay — without entering the buildings or conducting a meaningful security and medical check. About another hour later, he wrote, he received reports that stabbings had occurred inside the E-1 and E-2 buildings, and that officers were reportedly unaware because those buildings had been left without an officer present.

Ryals wrote that he called Hancock again, informed the main control officer about the reported stabbings, and was told she would notify the shift leader and have someone sent to the buildings. He wrote that one officer went only as far as the door, did not enter, and asked whether everyone was okay; the incarcerated individuals responded that everything was fine, and the officer allegedly left, leaving the buildings once again without an officer present. He wrote that he had received reports that up to five people may be injured, including two reportedly seriously wounded, and that because staff allegedly had not provided medical assistance, other incarcerated individuals were reportedly attempting to close and patch the wounds themselves.

Ryals further wrote that it had been alleged a former medical orderly had been stealing suture kits and medical supplies from the medical department and taking them into the dorms and selling them, because incidents requiring incarcerated people to treat one another had become so common. He wrote that he was also informed the captain went through the area telling those incarcerated that she had been instructed to place them on lockdown but was not going to do so at that time, and reportedly told them to get their showers and ice "just in case."

Christal Pate shared the same account on Facebook on September 4, 2026, describing Ryals as an ex-correctional officer who rose to deputy warden at Telfair State Prison. These are Ryals's and Pate's accounts as posted publicly; GPS has not independently confirmed the sequence of events they describe.

GPS records show the September 2026 period as the facility's heaviest concentration of violence signals in the past year: eight distinct assault-by-inmate signals in September alone, at critical and high severity, part of 22 such signals across eight months of 2026. GPS has additionally received recurring reports of stabbings in the annex at Hancock, of an air ambulance response, and of a tactical squad deployment to the facility.

What Families and Incarcerated People Describe

GPS has received recurring accounts from inside Hancock and from family members that describe conditions the official record does not capture. Multiple sources report that the facility's electronic locking system was installed roughly a decade ago and that incarcerated people began breaking the locks after officers stopped letting them out at a regular time each day. GPS has received accounts of a stabbing in which the person who carried out the attack had untreated serious mental illness and had been seen carrying a knife around the dorm. GPS has received accounts of a tactical team operation involving roughly 100 officers targeting multiple housing units and the annex, and of an IRT use of force against an incarcerated person suspected of possessing a weapon.

Families have described the annex as a metal building without insulation or ventilation, with interior temperatures above 105°F, and have alleged that the HVAC system was turned on for an inspection and then immediately shut off afterward. GPS has received accounts of incarcerated people sleeping on steel without proper bedding for more than twenty days, and of a person held in solitary confinement for six or more weeks with no communication access.

GPS records show the shape of these reports in aggregate: over the twelve months from January through October 2026, seven family-safety-concern signals at critical, high, and moderate severity; six medical-neglect signals; four excessive-force signals; four mental-health-crisis-unattended signals concentrated in October; and three family-fear-for-life signals. Seven external complaints were filed to oversight bodies in that period — to the Commissioners Office, the DOJ Civil Rights Division, the GBI, the Georgia Prison Reform Coalition, and the Office of the Governor.

The Fourth Death of 2026 and the Cellmate

Devin Edwards, 36, was found dead in his cell at Hancock State Prison around 7:15 a.m. on Friday, October 30, 2026, and appeared to have been in a recent fight, according to Hancock County Coroner Dontrelle Andrews. He was pronounced dead at a hospital in Washington County. He was serving a 30-year sentence for drug trafficking. The GBI was investigating the death as a homicide, and an autopsy was pending. A subsequent account reported that Edwards died after a physical altercation with his cellmate, that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and strangulation, and that the GBI Crime Laboratory ruled the death a homicide.

Marcus Johnson, administrator of the Georgia Prison Reform Coalition, wrote in the group's Facebook group on October 30, 2026, extending condolences to Edwards's family and asking for "transparency, accountability, and a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death." Tyler Ryals wrote the same day in the Ga. Prisons Exposed Facebook group that "Another man lost his life in one of GDC'S lockdown units this morning at Hancock State Prison."

Edwards's death was reported as the fourth inmate death at Hancock in 2026. GPS's registry records six deaths at the facility in 2026: Edwards, Albert Chapa, Jacorey Pearson, Jerrod Johnson, Jaylin Bell, and Steven Wood.

The earlier 2026 deaths followed altercations. Steven Wood, 54, died January 25, 2026, after an altercation with another inmate; he was serving life with possibility of parole for a murder conviction out of Cherokee County, and his body was turned over to the county coroner for transport to the GBI crime lab. The GDC Office of Professional Standards opened an investigation, which GDC described as standard procedure. Jaylin Bell, 32, died February 6, 2026, following an altercation with his roommate; his body was also turned over to the coroner and sent to the GBI crime lab. Jacorey Pearson, 36, died April 7, 2026; the cause of death was not released, and the GDC Office of Professional Standards investigation was ongoing.

Contraband, Cell Phones, and the Officer Who Carried It In

GDC's own published contraband reports record arrests at Hancock across more than a decade — four incidents in 2011, six in 2012, three in 2013, three in 2014, one in 2015, two in 2017, one in 2018, ten in 2019, twelve in 2020, two in 2021, one in 2023, six in 2024, nine in 2025, and three in 2026. These are arrests as GDC reported them, not convictions; GDC publishes no dispositions.

The record names staff-class actors in ten incidents as "Officer" and three as "Correctional Officer." In January 2019, Hancock State Prison officer Jasmine Nicole Hall was caught with water bottles containing compartments filled with meth, pot, ecstasy and hydrocodone; phone evidence revealed an ongoing drug distribution scheme across eight prisons totaling over $5,000 in transactions, the AJC reported.

Contraband at Hancock has also included drones. GDC issued purchase order 588955 dated June 30, 2022, for Hancock State Prison drone detection, in the total amount of $148,772.00, marked COMPLETED, with a revision notation of "1-07/05/2024." The order was issued against contract ID 99999-SPD0000172-006 and references quotation PF00467064P for "Hancock State Prison Drone Detection." Its line items include one AirWarden RF wired wide-temp sensor at $16,995.00, one AirWarden 3-year sensor subscription at $23,520.00, ten AirWarden 3-year user subscriptions at $352.80 each, one AirWarden control server 3-year subscription at $58,800.00, one line for "Test Drone Pilots & Drones" at $1,176.00, two Apple iPad Wi-Fi+Cellular units at $1,265.70 each, and one installation lot at $23,115.40. The vendor is listed as DG Investment Intermediate Holdings 2 of Norcross, with Convergint's Paul Franco as vendor point of contact and GDC's Sean Ferguson as the agency contact.

A second order, purchase order 607023, was issued June 30, 2023, in the total amount of $248,934.00, for "Hancock SP Drone Detection Deployment and Software Subscription," referencing the "Hancock SP Drone Detection Project" and prior purchase order 588955. It too is marked COMPLETED.

Food Safety Scores and What They Do Not Measure

The Georgia Department of Public Health has inspected Hancock's food service twelve times since October 2023, and the scores are almost uniformly perfect. Inspections on October 13, 2023, December 31, 2024, May 27, 2025, December 18, 2025, and June 25, 2026 returned scores of 100 (Grade A). Two inspections on June 25, 2024 returned 93 and 100; the 93 cited two violations, for proper eating, tasting, drinking, or tobacco use and personal cleanliness. A May 27, 2025 inspection returned 96 with one violation, for food-contact surfaces cleaned and sanitized. All twelve were routine inspections conducted by William Minton.

GPS has documented a systemic pattern in which DPH inspection scores fail to capture food-service sanitation failure across GDC kitchens — broken tray-sanitizing dishwashers, sustained roach and rodent infestation, and meals served on visibly contaminated trays. The pattern is hidden from DPH scores because inspections are scheduled walkthroughs that do not assess equipment under load. High DPH scores at GDC facilities coexist with sustained witness reports of equipment failure and food contamination; the contradiction is the analytical center of GPS's investigation "Dunked, Stacked, and Served." The Marshall Project independently reported on May 16, 2026, rats in kitchens, insects in food, moldy trays, and visible malnutrition across Georgia facilities.

GPS has also documented the economics underneath: GDC spends approximately $1.69 per person per day on food (2024) and has proposed $1.60 per day in FY27 — under 60 cents per meal — against the FDA Thrifty Food Plan estimate of roughly $10 per day for an adult man's nutritionally adequate diet.

The Garment Factory and the Vocational Record

Hancock's documented programming runs through its factory floor. GPS's reporting describes more than 100 incarcerated men working daily in the GCI garment sewing factory at Hancock State Prison, where a supervisor provided instruction on industrial sewing equipment including sewing machines, sergers, and buttonhole machines. One person incarcerated at Hancock reported being assigned to maintenance work there in 2007 on the basis of prior military technical training, and earned a vocational trade certificate through an on-the-job training program. GPS's reporting describes the factory operating two imported embroidery machines producing patches — including flags and agency, military and college insignia — sold nationwide.

GPS has received recurring accounts that GDC counselors at Hancock failed to properly document completed vocational training hours and prison factory work in official records, in around 2024. The gap matters beyond paperwork: documented hours are what a person carries out the gate.

Accountability and the Record Ahead

The facility's leadership, per GPS's personnel records, is Warden Joe Williams, with Deputy Wardens of Security Paul Anthony Sanford and Tamika Mahoney, Deputy Warden of Care and Treatment Rashedah Fayola Mitchell, and Deputy Warden of Administration Chequita Adams.

Hancock's accreditation and audit schedule is documented in GDC's own calendars: a ReAccreditation facility in the FY2022 ACA accreditation audit schedule, internal audits on September 26, 27, and 28, 2023, and audits scheduled for October 14, 15, and 16, 2025. What those audits found is not in the public record GPS holds.

What is in the record is a prison built for 500 people holding 1,169, with 73.5 percent of its officer positions vacant as of October 2024, 17 homicides in GPS's registry since 2020, and a state that has paid out more than $1.4 million in settlements tied to incidents there. The DOJ's October 2024 findings described violence, sexual assaults, and gang-run prisons across Georgia, fueled by a culture of indifference. At Hancock, the deaths are named, the settlements are itemized, and the vacancy rate is a number GDC's own consultants put in writing.

Sources

This analysis draws on reporting by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WGXA, and 41NBC; on the U.S. Department of Justice's 2024 findings on Georgia's prisons; on Georgia Department of Corrections purchasing records, mortality reports, contraband reports, audit calendars, and contract amendments with Centurion and MHM; on Georgia Department of Public Health food-service inspection records; on the Georgia Department of Administrative Services Risk Management settlement ledger obtained through open records; on federal and state court filings and prosecutor announcements from the Ocmulgee Judicial District Attorney's Office; on public Facebook posts by Tyler Ryals, Christal Pate, Marcus Johnson, Melissa Pass, and Ron Chezz; and on inmate, family, and anonymous accounts collected by GPS staff, together with GPS's own mortality registry and intelligence records. GPS has independently tracked 1,928 deaths in GDC custody since 2020.

Mortality Statistics

28 deaths documented at this facility from 2020 to present.

Deaths by Year

2026: 6
2025: 6
2024: 2
2023: 3
2022: 5
2021: 4
2020: 2

View all deaths at this facility →

County Public Health Department

Food service and sanitation at HANCOCK STATE PRISON fall under the jurisdiction of the Hancock County Environmental Health Department. Incarcerated people cannot choose where they eat — public health inspectors carry an elevated responsibility to hold this kitchen to the same standards applied to any restaurant.

Contact

Title: District Environmental Health Director, North Central Health District (covers Hancock County)
Name: Carla Coley
Address: 201 Second Street, Suite 1100
Macon, GA 31201
Phone: (478) 751-6114
Email: carla.coley@dph.ga.gov
Website: Visit department website →

Why this matters

GPS has documented black mold on chow-hall ceilings, cold and contaminated trays, spoiled milk, and pest contamination at Georgia prisons. The Department of Justice's 2024 report confirmed deaths from dehydration and untreated diabetes tied to food and water deprivation. Advance-notice inspections let facilities stage temporary fixes that disappear once inspectors leave.

Unannounced inspections by the county health department are one of the few outside checks on kitchen conditions behind the fence.

How you can help

Write to the county inspector and request an unannounced inspection of the kitchen and food service operation at this facility. A short, respectful letter citing Georgia food-safety regulations is more powerful than you think — inspectors respond to public concern.

Email the Inspector

Food Safety Inspections

Georgia Department of Public Health

Latest score: 100 (Jun 25, 2026)

View DPH report ↗

What the score doesn't measure. DPH grades kitchen compliance on inspection day — food storage, temperatures, pest control. It does not grade whether today's trays are clean. GPS reporting has found broken dishwashers at most Georgia state prisons we've documented; trays go out wet, stacked, and visibly moldy — including at facilities with recent scores near 100.

Who inspects. Most Georgia state prisons sit in rural counties — often with fewer than 20,000 people, several with fewer than 10,000. The environmental health inspector lives in that community and often knows the kitchen staff personally. Rural inspection regimes don't have the structural independence you'd expect in a city-sized health department. Read the scores accordingly.

Read the investigation: “Dunked, Stacked and Served: Why Georgia Prison Trays Are Making People Sick”

Recent inspections

Date	Score	Purpose
Jun 25, 2026	100	Routine
Dec 18, 2025	100	Routine
May 27, 2025	96	Routine
Dec 31, 2024	100	Routine
Jun 25, 2024	100	Routine
Oct 13, 2023	100	Routine

Source: Georgia Department of Public Health — data last refreshed November 5, 2026. Search all Georgia inspections ↗

Code	Violation	Pts	Inspector notes
4-2B	food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized 511-6-1.05(7)(b) - food contact surfaces and utensils - cleaning frequency (p, c) Corrected	4	Observed black slimy substance in ice machine beside handwash station. Equipment Food-Contact Surfaces and Utensils.1. Equipment food-contact surfaces and utensils shall be cleaned:(i) Before each use with a different type of raw animal food such as beef, fish, lamb, pork, or poultry. It does not apply if the food-contact surface or utensil is in contact with a succession of different types of raw meat and raw poultry each requiring a higher cooking temperature as specified under DPH Rule 511-6-1.04(5)(a) than the previous type such as preparing raw pork followed by cutting raw poultry on the same cutting board; P(ii) Each time there is a change from working with raw foods to working with ready-to-eat foods; P(iii) Between uses with raw fruits and vegetables and with Time/Temperature Control for safety food; P(iv) Before using or storing a food temperature measuring device; P and(v) At any time during the operation when contamination may have occurred. P2. Except as specified in paragraph 3 of this subsection, if used with time/temperature control for safety food, equipment food-contact surfaces and utensils shall be cleaned at least every 4 hours throughout the day. P3. Surfaces of utensils and equipment contacting time/temperature control for safety food may be cleaned less frequently than every 4 hours if:(i) In storage, containers of time/temperature control for safety food and their contents are maintained at temperatures specified under DPH Rule 511-6-1-.04 and the containers are cleaned when they are empty;(ii) Utensils and equipment are used to prepare food in a refrigerated room or area that is maintained at one of the temperatures in the following chart and:(I) The utensils and equipment are cleaned at the frequency in the following chart that corresponds to the temperature:Temperature Cleaning Frequency41ºF (5.0ºC) or less 24 hours>41ºF - 45ºF (>5.0ºC - 7.2ºC) 20 hours>45ºF - 50ºF (>7.2ºC - 10.0ºC) 16 hours>50ºF - 55ºF (>10.0ºC - 12.8ºC) 10 hoursand(II) The cleaning frequency based on the ambient temperature of the refrigerated room or area is documented in the food service establishment.(iii) Temperature measuring devices are maintained in contact with food, such as when left in a container of deli food or in a roast, held at temperatures specified under DPH Rule 511-6-1- .04;(iv) Equipment is used for storage of packaged or unpackaged food, such as a reach-in refrigerator, and the equipment is cleaned at a frequency necessary to preclude accumulation of soil residues;(v) The cleaning schedule is approved based on consideration of:(I) Characteristics of the equipment and its use,(II) The type of food involved,(III) The amount of food residue accumulation, and(IV) The temperature at which the food is maintained during the operation and the potential for the rapid and progressive multiplication of pathogenic or toxigenic microorganisms that are capable of causing foodborne disease; or(vi) In-use utensils are intermittently stored in a container of water in which the water is maintained at 135ºF (57ºC) or more and the utensils and container are cleaned at least every 24 hours or at a frequency necessary to preclude accumulation of soil residues.4. Dining counters and table-tops shall be cleaned and sanitized routinely after removing all soiled tableware and food trays shall be cleaned and sanitized after each use by one of the following methods:(i) A two step method in which one cloth, rinsed in sanitizing solution is used to clean food debris from the surface and a second cloth in separate sanitizing solution is used to rinse;(ii) Sanitizing solution is sprayed onto the surface and the surface is then wiped clean with a disposable towel;(iii) If used for cleaning and sanitizing, single-use disposable sanitizer wipes shall be used in accordance with EPA-registered label use instructions; or(iv) Other methods approved by the Health Authority.(v) Food trays may be cleaned and sanitized the same as table ware.5. Except when dry cleaning methods are used as specified under subsection (7)(e) of this Rule, surfaces of utensils and equipment contacting food that is not time/temperature control for safety food shall be cleaned:(i) At any time when contamination may have occurred;(ii) At least every 24 hours for iced tea dispensers including nozzles and consumer self-service utensils such as tongs, scoops, or ladles;(iii) Before restocking consumer self-service equipment and utensils such as condiment dispensers and display containers; and(iv) In equipment such as ice bins and beverage dispensing nozzles and enclosed components of equipment such as ice makers, cooking oil storage tanks and distribution lines, beverage and syrup dispensing lines or tubes, coffee bean grinders, and water vending equipment:(I) At a frequency specified by the manufacturer; or(II) Absent manufacturer specifications, at a frequency necessary to preclude accumulation of soil or mold. Machine was turned off and employee began scrubbing.

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Recent reports (29)

Source-attributed observations and allegations from news coverage and reports submitted to GPS. Each entry credits its source.

ALLEGATION According to WGXA Recorded by GPS: Sep 21, 2026
Vershaun Smith chased down and stabbed fellow inmate Corey Jose July multiple times, killing him, as shown in surveillance footage presented at trial.
"The jury was shown surveillance footage of Smith chasing down and stabbing July to death, according to the Oculmulgee District Attorney's Office."
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to 41NBC Published: Aug 13, 2026
Smith chased July, cornered him at a locked gate, and stabbed him multiple times in the prison yard.
"Prosecutors said surveillance video showed Smith chasing July, cornering him at a locked gate, and stabbing him multiple times."
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 21, 2025
A lawsuit alleges Charles 'Tristen' James McKee was placed in a dorm with known gang members who were hostile to LGBTQ inmates, contributing to his death.
"A lawsuit alleges he was placed in a dorm with known gang members who were hostile to LGBTQ inmates."
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 21, 2025
A claim filed against the state alleges Francisco Zaldivar Melgar-Saldivar was not provided appropriate medical care after being attacked by another prisoner.
"A claim filed against the state alleges that he wasn't provided appropriate medical care after being attacked by another prisoner."
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ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 21, 2025
Prison officials placed Amanuel Selassie Geberyesus in a regular cell contrary to a counselor's advice after he expressed suicidal thoughts, and he subsequently hung himself.
"He told counselors that he had thoughts of suicide but contrary to a counselor's advice prison officials placed him in in a regular cell, where he hung himself in March 2019."
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ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 21, 2025
Staff failed to act on Charles 'Tristen' McKee's repeated requests to be moved the day before he was murdered by gang members.
"McKee, who identified as LGBTQ, was beaten and stabbed by multiple gang members after he jumped through stair railings trying to escape. The day before, the report says, he had repeatedly asked to be moved, stating that his life was in danger."
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to 41NBC Published: Feb 10, 2026
Inmate Jaylin Bell died following an altercation with his roommate at Hancock State Prison.
"According to the GDC, Bell died following an altercation with his roommate on February 6."
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ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 14, 2026
A 2024 U.S. Department of Justice report described violence, sexual assaults and gang-run prisons in Georgia, fueled by a culture of indifference.
"In 2024, a report published by the U.S. Department of Justice described violence, sexual assaults and gang-run prisons in Georgia, fueled by a culture of indifference."
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ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 31, 2025
Hancock State Prison has one of the GDC's highest correctional officer vacancy rates, with 73.5% of positions vacant as of October, leaving only 49 officers on staff for over 1,100 prisoners.
"But Hancock has struggled with one of the GDC's highest correctional officer vacancy rates. In October, the agency reported that 73.5% of correctional officer positions were vacant, with only 49 officers on staff."
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ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 31, 2025
Consultants found that staffing vacancies at 20 of Georgia's 34 prisons have reached 'emergency levels,' making it impossible to keep up with even basic protocols, and that cell locks at many prisons are broken.
"Consultants hired last year by Gov. Brian Kemp found that staffing vacancies for correctional officers at 20 of Georgia's 34 prisons have reached 'emergency levels,' making it impossible to keep up with even basic protocols, according to a copy of the consultants' draft report obtained by the AJC. Compounding the risks, the consultants reported that cell locks at many prisons are broken, allowing prisoners to roam and gang members to intimidate other inmates."
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ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 31, 2025
Short-staffing, safety problems and corruption inside Georgia's prisons have allowed prisoners to operate large criminal enterprises from their cells, with 28 major drug-trafficking cases filed between 2015 and 2024.
"The short-staffing, safety problems and corruption inside Georgia's prisons have also allowed prisoners to operate large criminal enterprises from their cells. From 2015 to 2024, the AJC found that prosecutors filed 28 major cases involving drug-trafficking operations run from inside Georgia state prisons."
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ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 31, 2025
Cleveland Gary was convicted of killing fellow inmate Charles Tristen McKee by striking him six times in the head with a 17-inch homemade machete after a fight had already ended.
""The altercation ended, but Gary was not finished. He walked over to McKee and struck him six times in the head with a 17-inch homemade machete," Barksdale said in the announcement."
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ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Mar 31, 2025
More than 70% of correctional officer jobs at Hancock State Prison were vacant as of October 2024.
"According to staffing records obtained by the AJC, about two-thirds of the correctional officer jobs at Macon State Prison were not filled as of October, and at Hancock more than 70% of the correctional officer jobs were vacant."
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ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 31, 2025
Gang-related violence at Hancock State Prison resulted in two prisoner deaths, with the coroner leaning toward homicide in at least one case.
"Based on the circumstances, Andrews said he is 'leaning toward homicide' in Porter's case but is unsure at this point how to describe Holeman's death."
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ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 31, 2025
Hancock State Prison has one of the GDC's highest correctional officer vacancy rates, with 73.5% of positions vacant, creating dangerous conditions.
"In October, the agency reported that 73.5% of correctional officer positions were vacant, with only 49 officers on staff."
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 31, 2025
Consultants found staffing vacancies at 20 of Georgia's 34 prisons have reached 'emergency levels,' making it impossible to maintain basic protocols, and broken cell locks allow prisoners to roam and gang members to intimidate other inmates.
"Consultants hired last year by Gov. Brian Kemp found that staffing vacancies for correctional officers at 20 of Georgia's 34 prisons have reached 'emergency levels,' making it impossible to keep up with even basic protocols, according to a copy of the consultants' draft report obtained by the AJC. Compounding the risks, the consultants reported that cell locks at many prisons are broken, allowing prisoners to roam and gang members to intimidate other inmates."
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 31, 2025
Short-staffing, safety problems and corruption inside Georgia's prisons have allowed prisoners to operate large criminal enterprises from their cells, with 28 major drug-trafficking cases filed from 2015 to 2024.
"The short-staffing, safety problems and corruption inside Georgia's prisons have also allowed prisoners to operate large criminal enterprises from their cells. From 2015 to 2024, the AJC found that prosecutors filed 28 major cases involving drug-trafficking operations run from inside Georgia state prisons."
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 31, 2025
A U.S. Department of Justice report found stunning violence, rampant sexual assaults and other dangerous conditions in Georgia's prisons.
"McKee's case was among those described in the U.S. Department of Justice report released last year that found stunning violence, rampant sexual assaults and other dangerous conditions in the state's prisons."
Read source →
ALLEGATION Submitted via GPS public submission form Incident: Mar 15, 2026
INCIDENT — HANCOCK STATE PRISON: Report of a stabbing incident in the visitation area at Hancock State Prison. Multiple…
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ALLEGATION Submitted via GPS public submission form Incident: Mar 21, 2026
INCIDENT — HANCOCK STATE PRISON: GF (Gangster Disciples) inmates attacked Crips inmates while they were sleeping in H1 dormitory…
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OBSERVATION According to Facebook, Marcus Johnson Published: Oct 30, 2026
Marcus Johnson wrote in the GEORGIA PRISON REFORM COALITION (GPRC) Facebook group on October 30, 2026: "Attention The Georgia Prison Reform Coalition extends our deepest condolences to the family, loved ones, and friends of Devin Edwards, who was reportedly killed this morning at Hancock State Prison by his cellmate. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this heartbreaking time. No family should have to receive news like this. We ask for transparency, accountability, and a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Every life matters, and families deserve answers. Marcus Johnson Administrator Georgia Prison Reform Coalition (GPRC) GPRCLA@protonmail.com"
"Attention The Georgia Prison Reform Coalition extends our deepest condolences to the family, loved ones, and friends of Devin Edwards, who was reportedly killed this morning at Hancock State Prison by his cellmate. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this heartbreaking time. No family should have to receive news like this. We ask for transparency, accountability, and a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Every life matters, and families deserve answers. Marcus Johnson Administrator Georgia Prison Reform Coalition (GPRC) GPRCLA@protonmail.com"
Read source →
OBSERVATION According to Facebook, Tyler Ryals Published: Oct 30, 2026
Tyler Ryals, a former GDC officer, wrote in the Ga. Prisons Exposed Facebook group on October 30, 2026: "Another man lost his life in one of GDC'S lockdown units this morning at Hancock State Prison..."
"Another man lost his life in one of GDC'S lockdown units this morning at Hancock State Prison..."
Read source →
OBSERVATION According to Facebook, Melissa Pass Published: Oct 25, 2026
Melissa Pass wrote in the Ga. Prisons Exposed Facebook group on October 25, 2026: "Let’s Look at Something for a Minute. Today at around 4:30 pm I received some very interesting pictures and a Video from a Mother of an Inmate. When I commented that it looked nice. She said it was inside a Georgia Prison. I replied, No Way, I thought it was like a Man’s Cave somewhere. The pictures and Video is of what her son says is the “ Mentors Lounge” at Hancock State Prison in Sparta Georgia. According to her son it cost approximately $12,000 or more to build. All the money was Donated by inmates in the Mentor Program. It is also said that “ ONLY “ the Inmates that gave several thousands of dollars are the ones that “ Makes the Calls” and that Mentors that Did Not Contribute or Couldn’t Contribute, don’t have a Say in the activities and functions of the Lounge. You are going to be Amazed at the pictures. I will be posting the pictures and Video of the Inside of the Lounge after I forward them to the Office of the Governor,GBI and Commissioners Office. It seems that Prison Officials have lost their sense of Direction and Responsibility."
"Let’s Look at Something for a Minute. Today at around 4:30 pm I received some very interesting pictures and a Video from a Mother of an Inmate. When I commented that it looked nice. She said it was inside a Georgia Prison. I replied, No Way, I thought it was like a Man’s Cave somewhere. The pictures and Video is of what her son says is the “ Mentors Lounge” at Hancock State Prison in Sparta Georgia. According to her son it cost approximately $12,000 or more to build. All the money was Donated by inmates in the Mentor Program. It is also said that “ ONLY “ the Inmates that gave several thousands of dollars are the ones that “ Makes the Calls” and that Mentors that Did Not Contribute or Couldn’t Contribute, don’t have a Say in the activities and functions of the Lounge. You are going to be Amazed at the pictures. I will be posting the pictures and Video of the Inside of the Lounge after I forward them to the Office of the Governor,GBI and Commissioners Office. It seems that Prison Officials have lost their sense of Direction and Responsibility."
Read source →
OBSERVATION According to Facebook, Ron Chezz Published: Oct 10, 2026
Ron Chezz wrote in the Ga. Prisons Exposed Facebook group on October 10, 2026: "UPDATE ON THE STABBING AT HANCOCK STATE PRISON I have received an update that Mr. Keron survived the stabbing and was sent back to the prison. However, I have been told that he was returned to the same dorm and cell where the incident occurred. If this information is accurate, serious questions must be asked about his safety and the steps being taken to protect him from further harm. I have also heard from multiple incarcerated individuals who report that this happens at other prisons throughout Georgia. These reports raise serious concerns about how incarcerated individuals are protected after violent incidents. No one should have to fear being placed right back into the same environment where they were attacked. The Georgia Department of Corrections must take safety, accountability, and appropriate housing decisions seriously. Nothing has changed since the DOJ’s Georgia prison findings. We continue to hear reports of violence and serious safety concerns. Families deserve answers, and incarcerated individuals deserve meaningful protection. This is why prison reform and accountability cannot wait. Marcus Johnson, Administrator Georgia Prison Reform Coalition (GPRC) GPRCLA@protonmail.com"
"UPDATE ON THE STABBING AT HANCOCK STATE PRISON I have received an update that Mr. Keron survived the stabbing and was sent back to the prison. However, I have been told that he was returned to the same dorm and cell where the incident occurred. If this information is accurate, serious questions must be asked about his safety and the steps being taken to protect him from further harm. I have also heard from multiple incarcerated individuals who report that this happens at other prisons throughout Georgia. These reports raise serious concerns about how incarcerated individuals are protected after violent incidents. No one should have to fear being placed right back into the same environment where they were attacked. The Georgia Department of Corrections must take safety, accountability, and appropriate housing decisions seriously. Nothing has changed since the DOJ’s Georgia prison findings. We continue to hear reports of violence and serious safety concerns. Families deserve answers, and incarcerated individuals deserve meaningful protection. This is why prison reform and accountability cannot wait. Marcus Johnson, Administrator Georgia Prison Reform Coalition (GPRC) GPRCLA@protonmail.com"
Read source →
OBSERVATION According to Facebook, Christal Pate Published: Sep 4, 2026
Christal Pate wrote on Facebook on September 4, 2026: "This post came from Tyler Ryals who is an ex correctionaln officer all the way to Deputy Warden at Telfair State Prison (georgia). It's no wonder there are so many deaths of inmates in the state of Georgia. It's an astounding amount. Ga state prisons ya'll must do better Read until the end. Your not going to believe what happens on the daily in our prisons. WHY, JUST WHY -------------------------------------------------------------,--------- URGENT ALERT: REPORTED STABBINGS AND INJURED PEOPLE INSIDE HANCOCK STATE PRISON A few hours ago, I received information concerning potential gang tensions and the possibility of violence at Hancock State Prison. I immediately called the prison’s main control and spoke with Captain Williamson to report the warning. Approximately one hour later, I was informed that the lieutenant on duty went to the affected area and simply asked whether everyone was okay—without entering the buildings or conducting a meaningful security and medical check. About another hour later, I received reports that stabbings had occurred inside the E-1 and E-2 buildings. According to the information provided to me, officers were reportedly unaware because those buildings had been left without an officer present. I called Hancock State Prison again. I informed the main control officer about the reported stabbings, and she stated that she would notify the shift leader and have someone sent to the buildings. What reportedly happened next is unacceptable. I was told that one officer went only as far as the door—did not enter the buildings—and asked whether everyone was okay. The incarcerated individuals responded that everything was fine. The officer then allegedly left, and the buildings were once again left without an officer present. I have now received reports that up to five people may be injured, including two who are reportedly seriously wounded. Because staff allegedly have not provided medical assistance, other incarcerated individuals are reportedly attempting to close and patch the wounds themselves. Even more disturbing, it has been alleged that a former medical orderly had been stealing suture kits and medical supplies from the medical department and taking them into the dorms and selling them because incidents requiring incarcerated people to treat one another had become so common. Many of these stolen supplies are reportedly still on the compound. I was also informed that the captain went through the area telling those […]"
"This post came from Tyler Ryals who is an ex correctionaln officer all the way to Deputy Warden at Telfair State Prison (georgia). It's no wonder there are so many deaths of inmates in the state of Georgia. It's an astounding amount. Ga state prisons ya'll must do better Read until the end. Your not going to believe what happens on the daily in our prisons. WHY, JUST WHY -------------------------------------------------------------,--------- URGENT ALERT: REPORTED STABBINGS AND INJURED PEOPLE INSIDE HANCOCK STATE PRISON A few hours ago, I received information concerning potential gang tensions and the possibility of violence at Hancock State Prison. I immediately called the prison’s main control and spoke with Captain Williamson to report the warning. Approximately one hour later, I was informed that the lieutenant on duty went to the affected area and simply asked whether everyone was okay—without entering the buildings or conducting a meaningful security and medical check. About another hour later, I received reports that stabbings had occurred inside the E-1 and E-2 buildings. According to the information provided to me, officers were reportedly unaware because those buildings had been left without an officer present. I called Hancock State Prison again. I informed the main control officer about the reported stabbings, and she stated that she would notify the shift leader and have someone sent to the buildings. What reportedly happened next is unacceptable. I was told that one officer went only as far as the door—did not enter the buildings—and asked whether everyone was okay. The incarcerated individuals responded that everything was fine. The officer then allegedly left, and the buildings were once again left without an officer present. I have now received reports that up to five people may be injured, including two who are reportedly seriously wounded. Because staff allegedly have not provided medical assistance, other incarcerated individuals are reportedly attempting to close and patch the wounds themselves. Even more disturbing, it has been alleged that a former medical orderly had been stealing suture kits and medical supplies from the medical department and taking them into the dorms and selling them because incidents requiring incarcerated people to treat one another had become so common. Many of these stolen supplies are reportedly still on the compound. I was also informed that the captain went through the area telling those incarcerated that she had been instructed to place them on lockdown—but that she was not going to do so at that time. She reportedly told them to get their showers and ice “just in case.” These reports require an immediate, hands-on emergency response—not an officer standing at a doorway and asking whether everyone is okay. Hancock State Prison and the Georgia Department of Corrections must immediately: Send adequate security personnel inside E-1 and E-2. Conduct individual welfare and medical checks—not a verbal inquiry from the doorway. Locate every injured person and provide professional emergency treatment. Secure and account for all medical supplies, including suture kits. Preserve all surveillance footage, radio communications, control-room logs, incident reports and staffing records. Explain why these buildings were reportedly left without adequate officer supervision despite advance notice of potential violence. People who are seriously injured may be afraid—or unable—to speak openly while surrounded by those involved. Asking from the doorway whether “everyone is okay” is not a proper security search, medical assessment, or emergency response. At this time, these details are based on urgent reports received from inside the facility and have not all been independently confirmed. That is exactly why GDC must investigate immediately and publicly account for the safety and medical condition of everyone in E-1 and E-2. If these reports are inaccurate, GDC can establish that through an immediate documented inspection. If they are accurate, every minute of inaction places lives in greater danger. We are demanding immediate intervention, medical attention, proper staffing, and complete transparency from Hancock State Prison and the Georgia Department of Corrections. Someone should not have to die before officials decide to enter the building."
Read source →
OBSERVATION According to Facebook, Tyler Ryals Published: Sep 3, 2026
Tyler Ryals, a former GDC officer, wrote on Facebook on September 3, 2026: "URGENT ALERT: REPORTED STABBINGS AND INJURED PEOPLE INSIDE HANCOCK STATE PRISON A few hours ago, I received information concerning potential gang tensions and the possibility of violence at Hancock State Prison. I immediately called the prison’s main control and spoke with Captain Williamson to report the warning. Approximately one hour later, I was informed that the lieutenant on duty went to the affected area and simply asked whether everyone was okay—without entering the buildings or conducting a meaningful security and medical check. About another hour later, I received reports that stabbings had occurred inside the E-1 and E-2 buildings. According to the information provided to me, officers were reportedly unaware because those buildings had been left without an officer present. I called Hancock State Prison again. I informed the main control officer about the reported stabbings, and she stated that she would notify the shift leader and have someone sent to the buildings. What reportedly happened next is unacceptable. I was told that one officer went only as far as the door—did not enter the buildings—and asked whether everyone was okay. The incarcerated individuals responded that everything was fine. The officer then allegedly left, and the buildings were once again left without an officer present. I have now received reports that up to five people may be injured, including two who are reportedly seriously wounded. Because staff allegedly have not provided medical assistance, other incarcerated individuals are reportedly attempting to close and patch the wounds themselves. Even more disturbing, it has been alleged that a former medical orderly had been stealing suture kits and medical supplies from the medical department and taking them into the dorms and selling them because incidents requiring incarcerated people to treat one another had become so common. Many of these stolen supplies are reportedly still on the compound. I was also informed that the captain went through the area telling those incarcerated that she had been instructed to place them on lockdown—but that she was not going to do so at that time. She reportedly told them to get their showers and ice “just in case.” These reports require an immediate, hands-on emergency response—not an officer standing at a doorway and asking whether everyone is okay. Hancock State Prison and the Georgia Department of Corrections must immediately: Send adequate security personnel inside E-1 and […]"
"URGENT ALERT: REPORTED STABBINGS AND INJURED PEOPLE INSIDE HANCOCK STATE PRISON A few hours ago, I received information concerning potential gang tensions and the possibility of violence at Hancock State Prison. I immediately called the prison’s main control and spoke with Captain Williamson to report the warning. Approximately one hour later, I was informed that the lieutenant on duty went to the affected area and simply asked whether everyone was okay—without entering the buildings or conducting a meaningful security and medical check. About another hour later, I received reports that stabbings had occurred inside the E-1 and E-2 buildings. According to the information provided to me, officers were reportedly unaware because those buildings had been left without an officer present. I called Hancock State Prison again. I informed the main control officer about the reported stabbings, and she stated that she would notify the shift leader and have someone sent to the buildings. What reportedly happened next is unacceptable. I was told that one officer went only as far as the door—did not enter the buildings—and asked whether everyone was okay. The incarcerated individuals responded that everything was fine. The officer then allegedly left, and the buildings were once again left without an officer present. I have now received reports that up to five people may be injured, including two who are reportedly seriously wounded. Because staff allegedly have not provided medical assistance, other incarcerated individuals are reportedly attempting to close and patch the wounds themselves. Even more disturbing, it has been alleged that a former medical orderly had been stealing suture kits and medical supplies from the medical department and taking them into the dorms and selling them because incidents requiring incarcerated people to treat one another had become so common. Many of these stolen supplies are reportedly still on the compound. I was also informed that the captain went through the area telling those incarcerated that she had been instructed to place them on lockdown—but that she was not going to do so at that time. She reportedly told them to get their showers and ice “just in case.” These reports require an immediate, hands-on emergency response—not an officer standing at a doorway and asking whether everyone is okay. Hancock State Prison and the Georgia Department of Corrections must immediately: Send adequate security personnel inside E-1 and E-2. Conduct individual welfare and medical checks—not a verbal inquiry from the doorway. Locate every injured person and provide professional emergency treatment. Secure and account for all medical supplies, including suture kits. Preserve all surveillance footage, radio communications, control-room logs, incident reports and staffing records. Explain why these buildings were reportedly left without adequate officer supervision despite advance notice of potential violence. People who are seriously injured may be afraid—or unable—to speak openly while surrounded by those involved. Asking from the doorway whether “everyone is okay” is not a proper security search, medical assessment, or emergency response. At this time, these details are based on urgent reports received from inside the facility and have not all been independently confirmed. That is exactly why GDC must investigate immediately and publicly account for the safety and medical condition of everyone in E-1 and E-2. If these reports are inaccurate, GDC can establish that through an immediate documented inspection. If they are accurate, every minute of inaction places lives in greater danger. We are demanding immediate intervention, medical attention, proper staffing, and complete transparency from Hancock State Prison and the Georgia Department of Corrections. Someone should not have to die before officials decide to enter the building."
Read source →
OBSERVATION According to Facebook, Tyler Ryals Published: Sep 5, 2026
Tyler Ryals, a former GDC officer, wrote on Facebook on September 5, 2026: "GDC AND KEMP’S TORTURE CAMPS: BY EVERY MEANS NECESSARY—WHEN INCARCERATED PEOPLE HAVE NO ONE TO CALL On Thursday, September 3, 2026, an emergency reportedly unfolded inside a dormitory at Hancock State Prison while incarcerated people were left without meaningful officer presence or intervention for hours. The crisis itself is disturbing—but what these men reportedly had to do because no one was responding is even more alarming. When violence erupts inside a locked prison dormitory, incarcerated people cannot simply walk outside. They cannot leave the building, drive to safety, or call 911 like anyone else could. They are completely dependent upon correctional officers to remain at their assigned posts, monitor the dormitory, respond to emergencies, and protect human life. But on September 3, the reported reality was: Chaos inside. Danger escalating. No officers responding for hours. With the prison’s normal channels failing them, incarcerated people were reportedly forced to reach beyond the prison walls and alert someone outside the facility so help could be summoned. That should never be necessary. When an incarcerated person takes extraordinary measures to obtain emergency assistance, it should not automatically be labeled misconduct. It must also be examined as evidence of institutional failure. A person trapped inside a violent dormitory may take enormous risks because he believes that if he does nothing, someone could be seriously injured or killed. That leaves him with a horrifying choice: Remain trapped and hope someone eventually comes—or take whatever action is necessary to make the outside world aware that lives are in danger. No human being should ever be forced to make that choice. These men may risk retaliation, disciplinary reports, segregation, transfer, further restrictions, physical harm, or even death simply for attempting to get help. That is how desperate conditions become when prison supervision and emergency-response systems fail. Hancock State Prison already has a documented history of serious and deadly violence. The United States Department of Justice has cited Hancock in its findings concerning Georgia’s failure to protect incarcerated people from harm. Recent reporting has also documented deadly violence at the facility, including a fatal stabbing in 2026. Against that background, leaving a dormitory without adequate officer supervision during an active crisis cannot be dismissed as a minor staffing issue. It is a matter of […]"
"GDC AND KEMP’S TORTURE CAMPS: BY EVERY MEANS NECESSARY—WHEN INCARCERATED PEOPLE HAVE NO ONE TO CALL On Thursday, September 3, 2026, an emergency reportedly unfolded inside a dormitory at Hancock State Prison while incarcerated people were left without meaningful officer presence or intervention for hours. The crisis itself is disturbing—but what these men reportedly had to do because no one was responding is even more alarming. When violence erupts inside a locked prison dormitory, incarcerated people cannot simply walk outside. They cannot leave the building, drive to safety, or call 911 like anyone else could. They are completely dependent upon correctional officers to remain at their assigned posts, monitor the dormitory, respond to emergencies, and protect human life. But on September 3, the reported reality was: Chaos inside. Danger escalating. No officers responding for hours. With the prison’s normal channels failing them, incarcerated people were reportedly forced to reach beyond the prison walls and alert someone outside the facility so help could be summoned. That should never be necessary. When an incarcerated person takes extraordinary measures to obtain emergency assistance, it should not automatically be labeled misconduct. It must also be examined as evidence of institutional failure. A person trapped inside a violent dormitory may take enormous risks because he believes that if he does nothing, someone could be seriously injured or killed. That leaves him with a horrifying choice: Remain trapped and hope someone eventually comes—or take whatever action is necessary to make the outside world aware that lives are in danger. No human being should ever be forced to make that choice. These men may risk retaliation, disciplinary reports, segregation, transfer, further restrictions, physical harm, or even death simply for attempting to get help. That is how desperate conditions become when prison supervision and emergency-response systems fail. Hancock State Prison already has a documented history of serious and deadly violence. The United States Department of Justice has cited Hancock in its findings concerning Georgia’s failure to protect incarcerated people from harm. Recent reporting has also documented deadly violence at the facility, including a fatal stabbing in 2026. Against that background, leaving a dormitory without adequate officer supervision during an active crisis cannot be dismissed as a minor staffing issue. It is a matter of life and death. The Georgia Department of Corrections is responsible for maintaining security, protecting incarcerated people from foreseeable violence, providing emergency intervention, and ensuring that calls for help are answered. That responsibility cannot be abandoned and shifted onto incarcerated people. Incarcerated people are not correctional officers. They should not be expected to supervise dormitories, restore order, separate violent conflicts, provide emergency medical care, close wounds, or place themselves in even greater danger while trying to obtain outside assistance. They should never have to gamble with their lives because the people responsible for protecting them are nowhere to be found. GDC CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO INVESTIGATE AND CLEAR ITSELF What reportedly happened on September 3 demands an independent investigation. An internal GDC investigation alone cannot provide the transparency or public confidence this situation requires. GDC should not be solely responsible for investigating allegations involving its own staffing failures, abandoned posts, delayed emergency response, and possible retaliation. The public deserves answers: * How long was the dormitory left without adequate officer supervision? * How many officers were assigned to the area, and where were they while the emergency unfolded? * Were assigned security posts abandoned? * Did incarcerated people attempt to summon officers, and were those calls ignored? * Were emergency alarms, radios, cameras, intercoms, telephones, and other communication systems working? * Why did incarcerated people believe that contacting someone outside the prison was their only remaining option? * How many people were injured, stabbed, assaulted, or placed in danger? * Did those who were injured receive immediate professional medical treatment? * Were incarcerated people forced to treat wounds because medical personnel and officers failed to respond? * Did staffing shortages, lockdown procedures, post abandonment, or other operational failures contribute to the crisis? * Has all video footage, radio communication, staffing documentation, telephone activity, medical information, and other evidence been preserved? * Have the people who reported the emergency been threatened with retaliation or disciplinary punishment? Most importantly, there must be a clear distinction between someone who creates a dangerous situation and someone who takes desperate action while attempting to survive one. Those are not the same thing. The only question should not be: “Why did the incarcerated person break the rules?” The more important question is: “Why did he believe breaking the rules was the only way to get someone to come help?” Georgia owes the public—and every person confined inside Hancock State Prison—a truthful answer. THIS CANNOT BECOME NORMAL A prison does not become safe simply because its doors are locked. Safety requires adequate staffing, active supervision, functioning communication systems, immediate emergency intervention, access to medical treatment, and real accountability. When those systems fail, the people behind the walls are left exposed to violence, suffering, and death. What reportedly happened at Hancock State Prison on September 3 must be treated as a serious warning. No incarcerated person should have to risk his life to convince the outside world that help is needed. If people must resort to drastic measures because every legitimate avenue for obtaining assistance has failed, the focus must be placed on the institutional failure—not simply on punishing those who were desperate enough to seek help. We demand transparency regarding what occurred at Hancock State Prison. We demand to know why incarcerated people were reportedly left without adequate officer intervention for hours. We demand confirmation of how many people were injured and whether they received proper medical treatment. We demand protection from retaliation for everyone who reported the emergency or attempted to obtain help. We demand an independent investigation—not another internal process in which GDC is permitted to investigate and clear itself. We demand immediate corrective action before another preventable emergency ends in death. People may be incarcerated, but they are not disposable. Their sentences may deprive them of liberty. They do not deprive them of their humanity or their right to survive. When an emergency occurs behind prison walls: Someone must answer. Someone must respond. Someone must provide protection. And when that protection fails, someone must be held accountable. Stephanie Navarrete Founder & CEO WorldWide Chain Breakers Sources: U.S. Department of Justice findings concerning conditions inside Georgia prisons: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/media/1371541/dl?inline= WGXA reporting regarding a 2026 homicide at Hancock State Prison: https://wgxa.tv/.../inmate-dies-after-being-stabbed..."
Read source →
OBSERVATION According to Facebook (public post by Tyler Ryals, former GDC officer) Recorded by GPS: Sep 4, 2026
Former GDC officer Tyler Ryals reports that he received advance warning of possible violence at Hancock State Prison and telephoned the facility's main control to report it, and that stabbings were reported in the E-1 and E-2 housing units roughly two hours later. According to reports relayed to him from inside, staff responded by asking from a doorway whether everyone was okay without entering the buildings, the units were left without an officer present, and up to five people were injured — two seriously — without receiving medical care, with other incarcerated people attempting to close the wounds themselves. Ryals states the details are not all independently confirmed and has called on GDC to enter the units, treat the injured, and preserve control-room logs, radio traffic and staffing records. GPS has not independently confirmed the events inside the facility.
""Someone should not have to die before officials decide to enter the building.""
FAMILY REPORT Received as Family or inmate communication Recorded by GPS: May 5, 2026
Family member reports incarcerated brother in solitary 6+ weeks with no communication.
"My brother was placed in solitary 6 weeks ago and we have not heard from him."

Timeline (76)

November 2, 2026 (approx.)

Hancock State Prison inmate Devin Edwards found dead; GBI investigating as homicide death

Devin Edwards, 36, was found dead in his cell around 7:15 a.m. Friday and appeared to have been in a recent fight, according to the Hancock County coroner. An autopsy is pending and the case is being treated as a…

Source: WRDW

October 30, 2026

Inmate Devin Edwards dies after altercation with cellmate at Hancock State Prison death

Devin Edwards died on October 30 after a physical altercation with his cellmate; the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and strangulation, and the GBI Crime Laboratory ruled the death a homicide.

Reported by: Yahoo.com, 13WMAZ, WGXA

October 30, 2026

Marcus Johnson wrote in the GEORGIA PRISON REFORM COALITION (GPRC) Facebook group on October 30, 2026: "Attention The Georgia Prison Reform Coalition extends our deepest condolences to the family, loved ones, and friends of Devin Edwards, who was reportedly killed this morning at Hancock State Prison by his cellmate. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this heartbreaking time. No family should have to receive news like this. We ask for transparency, accountability, and a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Every life matters, and families deserve answers. Marcus Johnson Administrator Georgia Prison Reform Coalition (GPRC) GPRCLA@protonmail.com" report

October 30, 2026

Tyler Ryals, a former GDC officer, wrote in the Ga. Prisons Exposed Facebook group on October 30, 2026: "Another man lost his life in one of GDC'S lockdown units this morning at Hancock State Prison..." report

October 25, 2026

Melissa Pass wrote in the Ga. Prisons Exposed Facebook group on October 25, 2026: "Let’s Look at Something for a Minute. Today at around 4:30 pm I received some very interesting pictures and a Video from a Mother of an Inmate. When I commented that it looked nice. She said it was inside a Georgia Prison. I replied, No Way, I thought it was like a Man’s Cave somewhere. The pictures and Video is of what her son says is the “ Mentors Lounge” at Hancock State Prison in Sparta Georgia. According to her son it cost approximately $12,000 or more to build. All the money was Donated by inmates in the Mentor Program. It is also said that “ ONLY “ the Inmates that gave several thousands of dollars are the ones that “ Makes the Calls” and that Mentors that Did Not Contribute or Couldn’t Contribute, don’t have a Say in the activities and functions of the Lounge. You are going to be Amazed at the pictures. I will be posting the pictures and Video of the Inside of the Lounge after I forward them to the Office of the Governor,GBI and Commissioners Office. It seems that Prison Officials have lost their sense of Direction and Responsibility." report

October 10, 2026

Ron Chezz wrote in the Ga. Prisons Exposed Facebook group on October 10, 2026: "UPDATE ON THE STABBING AT HANCOCK STATE PRISON I have received an update that Mr. Keron survived the stabbing and was sent back to the prison. However, I have been told that he was returned to the same dorm and cell where the incident occurred. If this information is accurate, serious questions must be asked about his safety and the steps being taken to protect him from further harm. I have also heard from multiple incarcerated individuals who report that this happens at other prisons throughout Georgia. These reports raise serious concerns about how incarcerated individuals are protected after violent incidents. No one should have to fear being placed right back into the same environment where they were attacked. The Georgia Department of Corrections must take safety, accountability, and appropriate housing decisions seriously. Nothing has changed since the DOJ’s Georgia prison findings. We continue to hear reports of violence and serious safety concerns. Families deserve answers, and incarcerated individuals deserve meaningful protection. This is why prison reform and accountability cannot wait. Marcus Johnson, Administrator Georgia Prison Reform Coalition (GPRC) GPRCLA@protonmail.com" report

September 21, 2026

Vershaun Smith chased down and stabbed fellow inmate Corey Jose July multiple times, killing him, as shown in surveillance footage presented at trial. report

September 16, 2026 (approx.)

Vershaun Smith convicted of malice murder and sentenced to life without parole other

A Hancock County jury convicted Vershaun Smith of malice murder after being shown surveillance footage of Smith chasing down and stabbing July to death, according to the Oculmulgee District Attorney's Office. Smith was sentenced to life without the possibility of…

Source: WGXA

Source Articles (26)

Officials: More than 20 Georgia prisons placed on lockdown

Other · by Kendra Smith · Oct 29, 2026

Inmate sentenced to life without parole after malice murder conviction in Hancock County

Other · by Addison White · Sep 21, 2026

Death at a Locked Gate: Georgia Fences Men In, Then Locks the Only Way Out

Aug 15, 2026

Muerte en una puerta cerrada con candado: Georgia encierra a los hombres con cercas y luego cierra con llave la única salida

Aug 15, 2026

The Quiet Purge: Calhoun Edition

Apr 9, 2026

Former leadership

Officials who previously held leadership roles at this facility.

Role	Name	Tenure	Deaths this facility / career
Interim Warden (facility lead)	Ivey, George	2010-01-01 → 2024-12-31	15 / 15
Deputy Warden of Security (facility deputy)	Mahoney, Tamikia Nicole	2013-01-01 → present	28 / 29
DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy)	Foston, Jeremy Andrew	2019-01-01 → 2025-12-31	22 / 22
Deputy Warden (facility deputy)	Washington, Calpurnia Frederica	2023-11-22 → 2023-11-22	— / —
DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy)	Wells, Katherine	2018-01-01 → 2018-12-31	— / —
Deputy Warden (facility deputy)	Ivey Jr, George	2023-11-22 → 2023-11-22	— / —
Chaplain (specialty lead)	Larkin, Rechard A	2023-11-22 → 2026-08-27	— / —

View full GDC Leadership Accountability page →

Location

701 Prison Boulevard, Sparta, GA 31087 33.24570, -82.95100

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Aerial View

Satellite image: Esri World Imagery. Architecture documents what the building was designed to hold. See the system-wide receipts at gps.press/warehouse.

Then and now

Aerial photo of HANCOCK STATE PRISON, March 14, 1981 — **March 14, 1981**USGS aerial photo (NHAP NB1NHAP800306139)

Aerial photo of HANCOCK STATE PRISON, February 27, 1988 — **February 27, 1988**USGS aerial photo (NAPP 693-108)

Aerial photo of HANCOCK STATE PRISON, January 28, 1993 — **January 28, 1993**USGS aerial photo (NAPP 6559-004, 6559-006)

Aerial photo of HANCOCK STATE PRISON, Today — **Today**Esri World Imagery

Each photo shows the same 1.2 km square, north up, so buildings line up from one year to the next. The older photos are U.S. Geological Survey aerial photographs. The photos from 1988 and earlier were taken on film and lined up with the later ones by their roads, so their positions are approximate. The early-1980s photos were taken from very high up and are less sharp. Select a photo to see it full size.

Facility Information

Security Classification

Restrictive housing beds

Follow Hancock State Prison

Leadership & Accountability (as of 2026 records)

About

Hancock State Prison: A Close-Security Facility Built for 500, Staffed at a Fraction of That

Built for 500, Holding 1,169, Staffed at 73.5 Percent Vacant

Twenty-Eight Deaths Since 2020, Seventeen of Them Homicides

A Yard, a Locked Gate, and a Corridor With No One In It

Settlements, Suits, and What the State Has Paid For

The Tier II Bed Count and the Classification Question

September 2026: The Stabbings, the Doorway Check, and the Suture Kits

What Families and Incarcerated People Describe

The Fourth Death of 2026 and the Cellmate

Contraband, Cell Phones, and the Officer Who Carried It In

Food Safety Scores and What They Do Not Measure

The Garment Factory and the Vocational Record

Accountability and the Record Ahead

Sources

Mortality Statistics

Deaths by Year

County Public Health Department

Contact

Why this matters

How you can help

Food Safety Inspections

Recent inspections

Recent reports (29)

Timeline (76)

Source Articles (26)

Related Intelligence

Deaths in Custody

Violence & Safety

Staffing Crisis

Legal Settlements & Lawsuits

Solitary Confinement

Family Communication

Former leadership

Location

Aerial View

Then and now