JOHNSON STATE PRISON

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

12 Source Articles 18 Events

Facility Information

Original Design Capacity: 500 (at 307% capacity)
→ Part of the system-wide architecture — see the receipts
Bed Capacity: 1,612 beds
Current Population: 1,534
Active Lifers: 202 (13.2% of population) · Oct 2026 GDC report
Life Without Parole: 1 (0.1%)

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: 290 Donovan-Harrison Rd, Wrightsville, GA 31096
Phone: (478) 864-4100
Fax: (478) 864-4104
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 344, Wrightsville, GA 31096
County: Johnson County
Opened: 1992
Operator: GDC (Georgia Dept. of Corrections)

Security Classification

Last updated: September 23, 2026

250 of the 1,532 people held here are classified Close security (16.3%), as of September 23, 2026.

Security level	People	Share
Close	250	16.3%
Medium	1,192	77.8%
Minimum	89	5.8%
Standard	1	0.1%
Total	1,532

Earlier count (undated table, produced October 22, 2025): 163 of 1,573 Close (10.4%).

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

Free email updates

Follow Johnson State Prison

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)	Beland, Ryan	2026-06-16	2 / 14
Deputy Warden of Care and Treatment (facility deputy)	Davis-Bragg, Chabara L	2022-01-01	55 / 55
Deputy Warden of Security (facility deputy)	Sailem, Tiffany C	2025-04-01	25 / 25
Deputy Warden of Security (facility deputy)	Carr, Willie E	2024-11-01	24 / 24
Deputy Warden of Administration (facility deputy)	Newkirk, Matthew	2026-08-16	1 / 1

About

Last updated November 8, 2026.(DS)

Johnson State Prison: Classification Drift, a Cellmate Killing, and a Kitchen That Keeps Failing Inspection

Johnson State Prison sits on Donovan Harrison Road in Wrightsville, in Johnson County, a medium-security facility for adult male felons that was constructed in 1991 and opened in 1992. It holds 15 housing units — general-population dorms, mental-health supportive-living units, and segregation — and it once operated for a time as a juvenile boot camp before reverting to adult custody. Today it provides labor details to local governments along with standard education, counseling, and faith-based programs. Its original design capacity was 500; its current rated capacity is 1,612, and GPS's facility record puts the population at 1,534, or 95.2 percent of rated capacity. Ryan Beland has served as warden since June 16, 2026.

What follows traces four threads that GPS's records and public reporting have developed at this facility: a death-in-custody record that runs to 89 people since 2020 and includes 13 homicides; the 2021 killing of David Lamar Henegar, which produced a $4 million state payout and a federal lawsuit; a food-service operation that has failed or barely passed successive Department of Public Health inspections; and officer accounts describing a compound run with a handful of security staff.

A Death Record of 89, and a Homicide Count That Keeps Climbing

GPS has recorded 89 deaths at Johnson State Prison since January 1, 2020 — a floor, not a ceiling, because GDC reports deaths roughly two months late. Of those, 39 carry a cause of Unknown/Pending, 20 are coded Natural/Medical, 13 are coded Homicide, eight Other, six Suicide, two Accident, and one Overdose. The full list is maintained at GPS's facility death registry.

The most recent 25, as GPS's registry currently reads them:

Walter Louis Thompson died September 10, 2026, at Johnson State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 65.
Ernest Perez died June 23, 2026, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 61.
Martrese Jamon Mckay died April 18, 2026, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Suicide. He was 30.
Dale Way died March 28, 2026, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 76.
Michael Elias Peschel died March 14, 2026, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 36.
Anthony Shivers died February 11, 2026, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Overdose. He was 41.
Joseph Lamar Sanders died January 27, 2026, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 54.
Phillip Lamar Byrd died January 18, 2026, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 46.
Calvin R Norwood died December 30, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 72.
Marc Charles Neermann died November 2, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 69.
Roger James died October 29, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 68.
Aubrie Henley died October 5, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 69.
Jarvis Dontez Walker died September 26, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 39.
Matthew Glenn Maynard died September 14, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 65.
Loy Alpheus III Windham died July 31, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 54.
Larry Sherall Richards died July 29, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 86.
Russell Scott Carter died July 23, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 42.
Justin Haley Freeman died July 20, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 44.
Robert Glenn Tanner died July 15, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 56.
Joseph Wayne Clayton died July 12, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 32.
Dewayne Bess died July 10, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 63.
Robert Joseph Pruett died June 26, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 61.
John Charles Rhoten died June 15, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 54.
Paul Russell Brewster died June 9, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 48.
Robert Barnwell died May 4, 2025, at Johnson State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 80.

The homicide record reaches back further. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Jerry Lee Brown, 61, died November 12, 2020, from stab wounds to the head and blunt force injury to the face. Donald Prescott Lee, 41, died November 16, 2023, from blunt force trauma to the head, neck, and torso, the AJC reported. Michael Page, 53, died June 29, 2023; the manner was ruled a homicide but the cause was not stated and the death certificate had not been received, per the AJC. Kenneth Adam Robinson, 50, died August 10, 2024; incident report data showed a homicide but the death certificate had not been received, the AJC reported.

The Henegar Killing, the Lawsuit, and a $4 Million Payout

The case that has drawn the most scrutiny to Johnson is the October 16, 2021 death of David Lamar Henegar, 44. The AJC reported that Henegar was beaten to death over approximately five hours by his cellmate, Antone Hinton-Leonard, and was found with a broken neck and ribs, a fractured nose and breastbone, a torn lung and liver, and brain and scalp hemorrhages. A lawsuit filed in January 2025 alleges that Henegar, who had a disability, was choked over the course of hours by a mentally ill cellmate who had previously attacked him, and that neighboring prisoners screamed for help while officers failed to intervene. The AJC further reported allegations that prison officials kept Henegar in custody past his scheduled release date because of an administrative delay, and that staff failed to act on repeated reports from prisoners about Hinton-Leonard's mental health problems and a prior choking incident a week before the fatal attack.

Hinton-Leonard was charged with murder and was awaiting trial, with the criminal trial scheduled to begin later in April 2026, the AJC reported. Separately, Betty Wade and David Jacob Henegar filed a lawsuit against three corrections officers and a prison manager employed by the state, alleging prison staff could have prevented Henegar's death but failed to protect him.

The state has already paid. Georgia's DOAS Risk Management settlement ledger, obtained through open records, records a $4,000,000 liability payout to Betty Wade for the Estate of David Lamar Henegar, tied to Johnson State Prison and to the 2021 incident. The same ledger documents other payouts tied to this facility: $100,000 in the Andrick Jackson matter (2023); $1,449,640 in the Jerry Brown matter (2020); $1,500 in the Antione Caldwell matter (2020); $40,000 in the Cleveland D Dunn matter (2018); $2,000 in the Larry Singletary matter (2016); and $400,000 in the Ucollos Owens matter (2015).

What the Death Reports Do and Don't Say

GDC's own paperwork is often silent on the questions a death raises. GPS obtained incident report 391897 under an open records request; it runs five pages with 20 redactions and was released at no fee. It records the May 30, 2024 death of Corey Wade Persall, 40, at Johnson State Prison, location "ID ROOM," nature DEATH — with "Use of force NO," "injured NO," "weapon NO," and the notation "INCIDENT NOT VIDEO TAPED." The narrative states that at about 12:15 Deputy Warden Travis T. Prosser called because Persall was unresponsive, lying face up on his mattress; that medical began life-saving efforts at 12:25; that EMS was notified at 12:35 and arrived at 12:44; and that at 12:49 health care advised EMS to stop. Sergeant Ashonda Harris last saw Persall asleep and snoring at about 8:11 when she gave him his breakfast tray. The report gives no cause or manner of death, and GDC withheld cause and manner, the death certificate, medical examiner and coroner records, and the OPS referral and disposition under O.C.G.A. 42-5-36(b) as investigation records. It also redacts the cell, who stopped life-saving efforts, the body's destination, and Persall's mental-health level, STG, and disciplinary fields — and redacts a "Sexual Allegation" field as PREA information on pages 2 and 4. GPS's registry codes Persall's death as a homicide.

The same silence runs through the mortality coding. GDC's cause-of-death classifications, obtained by the UCLA Law Behind Bars Data Project through an open records request covering 2015–2021, are the Department's own administrative coding — not autopsy findings, and no pathologist examined the body for those determinations. That is true of the "Natural" coding for Ulysses Wiggins, who died June 12, 2020 at Johnson at 62; for Charles Alan Johnson, who died February 9, 2021 at 69; for Horace Kittles, who died November 13, 2021 at 73; and for Edward Herbst Fullerton, who died January 17, 2021 at 76. It is equally true of the "Suicide" coding for Robert Michael Stanfield, for Russell Scott Silman, for Anthony Termayne Wilson, who died May 8, 2020 at 45, and for Richard Lawrence Forrest, who died December 13, 2021 at 36. And of the "Undetermined" coding for Michael Edward Anderson, who died May 9, 2020 at 62; Michael Lee Strickland, who died August 15, 2020 at 51; Joe Allen Hedden; Steve James Lawrence; Mark F Patat; Danzell Marcellis Mitchell, who died February 24, 2021 at 29; Jeremy Daniel Gilbert; and Charles Bryson, who died July 20, 2021 at 60.

GPS has compared its own cause-of-death determinations against the UCLA dataset across roughly 200 records in which GPS already held a cause, and the two agree about 84.5 percent of the time; where they diverge, GPS's coding is typically more specific than GDC's "Undetermined." GPS treats a medical examiner, coroner, or autopsy determination as superseding GDC's coding whenever one is obtained.

Classification Drift: A Medium Prison Holding Close-Custody Men

Johnson is designated medium-security, but its population does not match the label. GDC's own figures show 163 of 1,573 people in close custody in October 2025 — 10.4 percent — rising to 250 of 1,532 by September 2026, or 16.3 percent. GPS has documented classification drift as a systemwide pattern: medium-security facilities housing close-security populations without the staffing and infrastructure that designation implies.

Tyler Ryals, a former GDC CERT commander who worked at Johnson, described the facility in a November 20, 2025 YouTube interview with host Dainhen Butler as the most stressful place he had worked, because of the way it was run and the level of disorder that was allowed. He called it a medium-security facility that was "not supposed to be the wild west." In the same interview he described incarcerated people cutting their arms and "hacking their throat open," and others cutting themselves and "busted back open" the wounds before they healed.

Three Officers, No Booth, and a Report That Never Got Filed

Ryals's accounts of staffing at Johnson are the most concrete public record of how thin the compound has run. He said the facility operates with only three officers, and that it holds a document stating it passed its ACA audit despite operating with only three officers. He said that on many days he worked there he was the only male officer on duty, and that there was never an officer in the booth. He said he was often the person called to respond because there was no one else around, especially at Johnson.

He described a 2023 incident in which he had to use force on an incarcerated man and was the only officer present — the only male security member on the entire compound. He was putting the man on strip segregation for mental-health reasons and the man was resistant; because no other officer was present, Ryals called a female counselor to witness the strip segregation. He wrote an incident report and turned it in to the deputy warden's desk. About a month later he received a grievance from the man he had stripped out, and when he checked, he discovered the incident report had never been put in.

Ryals also described the L building — the RSAT building — as the worst drug building on the whole compound, and said counseling staff there were left in the office without security officers present. In a July 2026 YouTube live video he said he personally saw nurses at Johnson rely on the inmate medical orderly as a bodyguard to protect them across the compound, and that toward the end of his career he saw incarcerated people sitting in ID being told by a lieutenant to do count packets and keep up the tally — that is, keeping the official count. He said he sent an email offering two alternatives to a transfer: move to Johnson with 15–20 members of the interdiction response team to take control of the prison and recruit until 50 officers were hired, or serve as lockdown supervisor over one building at Johnson.

GPS records show staffing-shortage reports at this facility concentrated in July and August 2026, and multiple reports of staff misconduct allegations across the past year. GPS has also received accounts of use-of-force incidents and of an in-custody death at Johnson.

The Kitchen: Failing Scores, a Broken Dishwasher, and Trays That Come Back Soiled

The Georgia Department of Public Health has inspected Johnson's food service nine times since June 2023, and the record is not a good one. On December 11, 2023, the facility scored 64 — a Grade F — on a routine inspection with nine violations, including the person in charge not demonstrating knowledge of duties, inadequate handwashing facilities, and food not separated and protected. A follow-up on December 20, 2023 scored 67, still a Grade F, with six violations including improper cold holding temperatures. Earlier, a June 27, 2023 routine inspection scored 75 (Grade C) with seven violations including no certified food protection manager and inadequate handwashing facilities.

The scores have improved and then slipped again: 91 on a July 24, 2023 follow-up; 86 on March 6, 2024; 96 on December 4, 2024; then 80 on March 3, 2025 with seven violations including inadequate handwashing facilities, improper hot holding temperatures, and improper cooling time and temperature; 88 on October 8, 2025; and 86 on June 22, 2026 with six violations including food-contact surfaces not cleaned and sanitized, and toxic substances not properly identified, stored, and used. All but the June 2023 inspection were conducted by inspector Jaime Williams.

Physical evidence submitted to GPS indicates unsanitary food service conditions at Johnson, including institutional food trays with visible contamination or residue in multiple compartments and food service equipment with unsanitary conditions. A public social media report regarding the facility included photographic documentation of the same. GPS has received recurring reports from inside Johnson that the kitchen's dishwasher has been out of service for more than a year — possibly two — and that trays are instead sprayed with water, dipped in soapy water, and sprayed again to rinse, with water not hot enough to kill germs, bacteria, or mold; that trays are stacked while still wet and with food residue remaining; and that some trays are returned bearing urine, feces, or vomit and are cleaned no more thoroughly than ordinarily dirty trays. GPS records ten sanitation-failure signals at this facility over the past twelve months, with external complaints filed to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

GPS has documented a systemwide pattern in which DPH inspection scores fail to capture food-service sanitation failure, because inspections are scheduled walkthroughs that do not assess equipment under load. The agency's own budget arithmetic is part of the picture: 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 Marshall Project independently reported in May 2026 on rats in kitchens, insects in food, moldy trays, and visible malnutrition across Georgia facilities.

A separate GPS case regarding food safety and unsanitary trays at Johnson was opened April 10, 2026, following a Facebook report from Samantha Graves Della Rocca.

Health Care, Mental Health, and a New Infirmary

Johnson's medical operation is contracted. Centurion's proposed staffing matrix for the facility lists a Director of Nursing at 40 weekly hours, a Health Services Administrator at 40 hours, a Certified Medical Assistant/Tele Assistant at 80 hours (2.00 FTE), a Certified Nursing Assistant at 56 hours (1.40 FTE), and an LPN at 48 weekly hours. Centurion Amendment 1 lists 40 estimated weekly primary care physician hours at a weekly rate of $144 per hour, and Exhibit 3-B sets estimated weekly hours for nurse practitioners and physician assistants at 40 for Johnson, with on-site X-ray marked Yes and a physical capacity of 1,302 offenders.

Mental-health staffing runs through MHM. Amendment 13 lists a total of 17.25 mental-health FTEs at Johnson at 690 hours per week and an annual cost of $1,541,471 — including 10.50 mental-health counselor FTEs at $788,255 a year, 1.00 psychiatrist FTE at $301,793, 0.75 clinical director FTE, 2.00 activity therapist FTEs, 2.00 clerk FTEs, and 1.00 mental-health unit manager at $95,121. The same amendment lists no psychologist FTEs and no mental-health nurse practitioner FTEs at the facility. Dental staffing totals 2.00 FTEs at $341,588 annually, comprising 1.00 dentist, 1.00 dental assistant, and no dental hygienist.

In July 2026 GDC held a ribbon-cutting for a new Medical Intensive Infirmary at Johnson State Prison — a 4,800-square-foot, 20-bed facility designed by NELSON Worldwide, part of a statewide modular construction program that also installed ModCorr MaxMod housing units at Dodge, Lee, Montgomery, and Hays state prisons, adding 524 beds in total. The infirmary's staffing had not caught up with its construction: Centurion agreed to issue GDC a credit of $538,695.65 for July 2026 because newly added Staffing Matrix positions designated to staff the Johnson infirmary had not yet begun work.

GPS records five medical-neglect signals and five mental-health-crisis signals at this facility over the past twelve months, and family members have described to GPS repeated requests for medical and mental-health care going unanswered over extended periods, along with extended solitary confinement and inconsistent access to showers and meals. In August 2026, Tyler Ryals wrote on Facebook that WorldWide Chain Breakers had received a firsthand report that E Building — the mental-health dorm — was under quarantine for an alleged infestation of lice, bed bugs, and scabies, and that men from the quarantined building were brought into the same medical area where prisoners from other housing units were waiting for treatment. In a July 20, 2026 Facebook post, Ryals said a reliable source told him that J-building, the lockdown building, did not receive morning medications on one day that weekend because officers could not or would not secure the door flaps so nurses could safely pass medications.

Drone Detection, Contraband, and an Escape

GDC has invested heavily in perimeter technology at Johnson. Purchase order 624113, dated June 24, 2024, totals $494,895.00 for drone detection, with vendor DG Investment Intermediate Holdings 2 of Norcross and Convergint of Duluth listed in the vendor section, point of contact Paul Franco. The order includes $150,446.25 in installation costs, AirWarden RF Sensor units, a Direction Finder Module, a 5G cellular router, and three-year subscriptions for the control server, users, and sensors. Sean Ferguson is listed as the GDC point of contact for Johnson on the order.

Contraband still gets in. A recorded interview indicates two drone drops were recently intercepted at Johnson; one account describes a 2026 interception in which a drone, a tablet, a smart charger, 14 cell phones, nine charging cords, multiple charger blocks, ear pods, tobacco, a baby bottle, and 1,060 grams of marijuana were recovered. GPS's contraband records, drawn from GDC's own published reports, show incidents at Johnson running back to 2012, with arrests reported across staff, visitor, and civilian classes. In April 2023, the AJC reported, an escape occurred at Johnson State Prison; GDC issued no news release.

Staff Arrests and the Compound's Own Accounts

In early April 2026, a TV news report played in a May 2026 Dainhen Butler video on The Dai Room's YouTube channel said that Berenique Burton, 26, of Dublin, a correctional officer at Johnson State Prison, was fired and arrested after being accused of allowing an inmate assault. Court documents said Burton let other inmates attack two inmates on April 1, according to the report; she was charged with violating her oath and unlawful acts of violence in a penal institution, and GDC said she was fired the same day the warrants were signed.

GPS records show five named staff-misconduct signals and seven unnamed staff-misconduct signals at this facility over the past twelve months, alongside six due-process-violation signals and five family-safety-concern signals. A member of the Ga. Prisons Exposed Facebook group wrote on October 22, 2026 that an incarcerated relative at Johnson said an STG-certified officer was "torturing them in the buildings," taking others' store goods and eating them or giving them away, and that the men were planning a group lawsuit for harassment. That is one poster's account, not a GPS finding.

Sources

This analysis draws on Georgia Department of Corrections records — incident report 391897 released under open records, the CY2024 and June 2026 mortality reports, contraband reports, ACA and PREA audit schedules, and contract exhibits from Centurion and MHM — along with Georgia Department of Public Health food-service inspection records; the Georgia DOAS Risk Management settlement ledger obtained through open records; the UCLA Law Behind Bars Data Project custodial mortality dataset, itself GDC's own coding obtained by open records request; reporting by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Facebook posts by Tyler Ryals and Stephanie Navarrete and a post in the Ga. Prisons Exposed group; recorded interviews with former GDC CERT commander Tyler Ryals on The Dai Room and other YouTube channels; and GPS's own mortality registry, contraband database, and intelligence records. GPS has independently tracked 1,928 deaths in GDC custody since 2020.

Mortality Statistics

89 deaths documented at this facility from 2020 to present.

Deaths by Year

2026: 8
2025: 18
2024: 15
2023: 15
2022: 6
2021: 14
2020: 13

View all deaths at this facility →

County Public Health Department

Food service and sanitation at JOHNSON STATE PRISON fall under the jurisdiction of the Johnson 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, South Central Health District (covers Johnson County)
Name: Rachel Templeman
Address: 105 E. Jackson Street
Dublin, GA 31021
Phone: (478) 275-6623
Email: rachel.templeman@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: 86 (Jun 22, 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 22, 2026	86	Routine
Oct 8, 2025	88	Routine
Mar 3, 2025	80	Routine
Dec 4, 2024	96	Routine
Mar 6, 2024	86	Routine
Dec 20, 2023	67	Followup
Dec 11, 2023	64	Routine
Jul 24, 2023	91	Followup
Jun 27, 2023	75	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(6)(n) - manual and mechanical warewashing equipment, chemical sanitization-temperature, ph, concentration, hardness (p,pf)	4	Sanitizing solution was not reading proper concentration levels wen tested. Read zero. When asked staff and PIC about sanitizer they stated none was delivered from Chemical today. Discussed with staff and PIC that before they start washing they need to make sure they have sanitizer on site and that it is tested and at the right strength before use and went through chemical mixing process with staff. Also. Bulk ice machine was observed with mold on interior and on outside edging. Ice machine needs to be cleaned prior to further use. Note-- Ice machine appeared to be not working at full capacity (Ice watered over) and filters were discussed about needing to be changed and keeping extras on site for boil water events.
8-2B	toxic substances properly identified, stored, used 511-6-1.07(6)(b) - working containers, common name (pf)	4	Observed several bottles throughout kitchen with unknown substances in them 1 spray bottle, 1 bulk spice bottle with orange liquid and 1 water bottle with yellow liquid without any form of labels. All spray bottles and or in use- working bottles need to have common name of substance in bottles located on them.
15A	food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed, and used 511-6-1.05(6)(a) - good repair & proper adjustment (c) Repeat	1	Multiple equipment pieces are observed out of order - 4 Freezers, 3 small and 1 main walk in freezer. The main meat freezer observed to be potentially going down-- loud clanking sound in condenser and temperature was observed at 10 degrees which is far above normal for this unit. All equipment needs to be repaired and in good working order. Also wash room Hobart machine part is in order using the 3 sinks on dish line but machine is still out of order.
15C	nonfood-contact surfaces clean 511-6-1.05(7)(a)2,3 - equipment, food/nonfood-contact surfaces, and utensils, food-contact surfaces of cooking equipment & nonfood-contact surfaces free of accumulations (c) Repeat	1	Interior of several ovens were heavily encrusted with food on food racks as well as non food contact surfaces- door closure. Items need to be cleaned and degreased accordingly.
16B	plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) Repeat	2	Plumbing leak observed at ware wash machine dish sink was bound together with a towel to stop leak. Also, drain lines from 3 compartment dish sink for large pots was also observed bound with cloth and tape need to be address and fixed properly.
17C	physical facilities installed, maintained, and clean 511-6-1.07(5)(a),(b) - good repair, physical facilities maintained; cleaning, frequency & restrictions, cleaned often enough to keep them clean (c)	1	ceiling have several holes, that need to be fixed and repaired. this could be a potential contribution of water leaking into kitchen.

View full inspector report on DPH →

Code	Violation	Pts	Inspector notes
12A	contamination prevented during food preparation, storage, display 511-6-1.04(4)(q) - food storage (c) Corrected	3	Observed uncovered pans of macaroni (uncovered due to cooling process) sitting directly on top of macaroni food stacked in a cold hold box in WIC which could lead to potential source of cross contamination. Also observed with bologna stacked on top of uncovered bologna. Also, Observed bag of wheat flower sitting on floor in kitchen. All items were placed in proper locations and stacked with room in between.
14A	in-use utensils: properly stored 511-6-1.04(4)(k) - in-use utensils, between-use storage (c)	1	Scoop at ice machine observed sitting on top of ice machine panel and the panel was dirty . Ice scoops need to be stored in a clean protected location in between use.
15A	food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed, and used 511-6-1.05(6)(q)1&3 - good repair & calibration (c) Repeat	1	Hot hold food wells line 1 and line2 are not working. Multiple equipment out of order - 4 ovens, 4 wic, 1 freezer. All equipment needs to be repaired and in good working order. Also wash room Hobart machine part is in order using back up 3 compartment sinks for lg pots.
16A	hot and cold water available; adequate pressure 511-6-1.06(1)(g),(h) - water supply, capacity; pressure (pf)	2	Hand wash sink in main kitchen did not have hot water running to sink. All handwasher sinks must have hot water availability.
16B	plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) Repeat	2	lumbing sink 1 out of order handwash sink, drain lines from 3 compartment dish sink need to be address they are not draining properly. And 2 compartment prep sink on the east side faucet is not working.
18	insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c)	3	Observed Roaches in kitchen facility. The presence of insects, rodents, and other pests shall be controlled by: 1. Routinely inspecting incoming shipments 2. Routinely inspecting premises for pests 3. Using methods of pest control This has been an on going problem

View full inspector report on DPH →

Code	Violation	Pts	Inspector notes
2-2D	adequate handwashing facilities supplied & accessible 511-6-1.07(3)(a) - handwashing cleanser, availability (pf)	4	No paper towels or hand soap available at handwashing sink. All handwashing sinks shall always have (paper towels) hand drying provisions and hand cleansers available at each handwashing sink.
6-1B	proper hot holding temperatures 511-6-1.04(6)(f) - time/temperature control for safety; hot holding (p) Corrected	9	Fish Sticks that were prepared for lunch service were located on the hot hold line temped at 136, 96, 94 103 degrees. All food being hot held for service needs to be held at 135 degrees and above. Hot hold food wells line 1 and line2 are not working. Discussed with 1st shift manager reheating fish sticks prior to service. Food reheated to 167
6-1C	proper cooling time and temperature 511-6-1.04(6)(d) - cooling (p)	9	Observed cheese sandwiches, prepped in the morning along with a full box of cheese sitting in a non working cold hold unit. COS- Food was discarded on site at time of inspection. When asked the PIC about the items, she was unaware they were in there as the unit stays locked.
12B	personal cleanliness 511-6-1.03(5)(i) - clothing (c) Corrected	3	observed sweat shirt, and rags in 2 separate locations sitting on top of cooking equipment that was in use. and on food (rice and peanut butter) COS staff removed items from prep lines and placed in designated location
12C	wiping cloths: properly used and stored 511-6-1.04(4)(m) - wiping cloths, use limitation (c)	3	Observed wiping clothes in several different location sitting on prep tables etc. and not in current use. When not in Use wipe clothes need to be stored in sanitizing buckets or in Laundry basket
15A	food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed, and used 511-6-1.05(6)(q)1&3 - good repair & calibration (c) Repeat	1	Hot hold food wells line 1 and line2 are not working. Multiple equipment out of order - 4 ovens, 4 wic, 1 freezer. All equipment needs to be repaired and in good working order. Also wash room Hobart machine part is in order using back up 3 compartment sinks for lg pots.
16C	sewage and waste water properly disposed 511-6-1.06(4)(c) - backflow prevention (p)	2	Hose nozzle observed submerged in a bucket of water near the tilt skillet. Hose is used to clean floor but also tilt skillet. C. A: Hose needs to have proper separation from being submerged in water due to back siphonage and the hose needs to have a hose reel and be kept off the floor when not in use.

View full inspector report on DPH →

Code	Violation	Pts	Inspector notes
15A	food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed, and used 511-6-1.05(6)(a) - good repair & proper adjustment (c)	1	Multiple equipment out of order - 4 ovens, 4 wic, 1 freezer. All equipment needs to be repaired and in good working order. Also wash room Hobart machine part is in order using back up 3 compartment sinks for lg pots.
16B	plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c)	2	Plumbing sink 1 out of order handwash sink, drain lines being worked on for main kitchen both sides handwash sink 2 went down this morning.
17D	adequate ventilation and lighting; designated areas used 511-6-1.07(2)(i) - light bulbs, protective shielding (c)	1	Lights above food in food storage areas (dry storage) freezer need to be shatter proof bulbs and or have protective shields.

View full inspector report on DPH →

Code	Violation	Pts	Inspector notes
1-2B	certified food protection manager	4	NO CFSM in the facility. Food service establishments shall have a certified food safety manager to ensure food safety is being managed. CA: PIC/Nutrition director is going to take the class aug 8-10 they got a food handlers and were told to get a food managers certificate.
4-2B	food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized 511-6-1.05(6)(n) - manual and mechanical warewashing equipment, chemical sanitization-temperature, ph, concentration, hardness (p,pf) Corrected	4	Observed ware washing process not being completed in the proper sequence and the sanitizing solution was not reading proper concentration levels wen tested. Read zero. Discussed and went through chemical mixing process with staff and COS the Sanitizer Solution in the 3 compartment sink
11A	proper cooling methods used: adequate equipment for temperature control 511-6-1.04(6)(e) - cooling methods (pf, c)	3	Observed potato salad and turkey recently prepped (observed both on the Service line)-- These Items were not adequately cooled prior to being placed on the food service line for lunch service despite having adequate time to cool product. Staff removed items from serving line and too them to Walk In Freezer to rapidly cool
12A	contamination prevented during food preparation, storage, display 511-6-1.04(4)(z) - miscellaneous sources of contamination (c)	3	Observed kitchen crew dropping repeatedly a bag of bulk ice on the floor to break up the ice. The floor has floor drains (in use daily) Source for cross contamination as the ice was being used as a cooling parameter for food items on the service line. PIC told staff to go rinse off the bag of ice. I then explained where / how a better technique to use for breaking the ice and the potential source of contamination from the bag of ice ripping and ice touching floor.

View full inspector report on DPH →

Code	Violation	Pts	Inspector notes
4-1A	food separated and protected 511-6-1.04(4)(c)1(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) - packaged & unpackaged food separation, packaging, and segregation (p, c) Repeat	9	Several bulk items - oil, flour rice bran flakes canned goods-- all observed with holes in bags rat dropping and pee sprayed on bags in storage facility. Items need to be lifted off the floor, properly wrapped and area needs to be cleaned and repaired due to rats and roaches. Also discussed with multiple wardens and staff protective - corrective actions about the food being wrapped with plastic wrap and being stored higher off the ground also, they will be moving flour etc to large cold hold storage. Staff has been very proactive and combating this issue they are doing great at making provisions due to current situation.
6-1A	proper cold holding temperatures 511-6-1.04(6)(f) - time/temperature control for safety; cold holding (p) Repeat	9	Multiple foods cold holding temped above 41°F. All tcs items shall be cold held at 41°F or below. COS: Discarded during inspection. Items not cooled properly from last night. Discussed cooing methods with PIC. Walk in unit 1 was fixed (replaced fan and compressor). The second walk in cooler was also fixed both the fan and the compressor and then when staff went in to unit this morning it was not working again. Walk in freezer was fixed. Several reach in units were not working properly.
15A	food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed, and used 511-6-1.05(6)(a) - good repair & proper adjustment (c) Repeat	1	East side kitchen hot serving line out of order/ not working-- unit needs to be repaired as needed. 2 Cold hold units 1- on each serving line. Also Ware wash machine 1 , 5 cooking ovens, 1 tilting skillet, 1 cooking kettle, 1 griddle, 1 smaller freezer unit, 1 bulk ice machine are not working- C. Action all items are in need of repair and or replacement as needed.
16B	plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) Repeat	2	Multiple sinks out of order due to leaking or just not turning on at all. All plumbing systems shall be maintained in good repair. Toe tap or foot pedals for hand wash sink using both hard to get toe taps to work...Hot water needs to be available at all sinks.
17C	physical facilities installed, maintained, and clean 511-6-1.07(5)(a),(b) - good repair, physical facilities maintained; cleaning, frequency & restrictions, cleaned often enough to keep them clean (c) Repeat	1	Floors walls and ceiling have several holes, tiles broken that need to be fixed and repaired. this could be a potential contribution to the rat and roach infestation.
18	insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c) Repeat	3	Observed multiple RATS and Roaches in kitchen facility. The presence of insects, rodents, and other pests shall be controlled by: 1. Routinely inspecting incoming shipments 2. Routinely inspecting premises for pests 3. Using methods of pest control This has been an on going problem with little to no change- cages that were being ordered last time still have not been put into place- Pest control company allowed to come on site and start properly treating rat and roach infestation. Bait boxes were observed set out for rats and gel treatment was in place for roach treatment. They are still being observed but they are working to correct issues.

View full inspector report on DPH →

Code	Violation	Pts	Inspector notes
1-2A	pic present, demonstrates knowledge, performs duties 511-6-1.03(2)(a)-(n)(p),(q) - responsibility of pic (pf)	4	Person-in-charge not performing duties; not ensuring or monitoring time/temperature control for safety foods (TCS) to maintain proper cold holding temperatures. PIC not ensuring prisoners are wearing gloves when handling ready-to-eat foods. The PIC did not ensure handwash soap was at each handwash station. COS - Went over every item with the PIC and gave information on where to find the food manual.
2-2D	adequate handwashing facilities supplied & accessible 511-6-1.07(3)(a) - handwashing cleanser, availability (pf)	4	No paper towels or hand soap available at handwashing sink. All handwashing sinks shall always have (paper towels) hand drying provisions and hand cleansers available at each handwashing sink. When discussed with 1st shift manager he said he did not know where the key was to unlock the soap dispensers to add soap
4-1A	food separated and protected 511-6-1.04(4)(c)1(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) - packaged & unpackaged food separation, packaging, and segregation (p, c)	9	Food sitting directly on the floor Large quantity of canned goods in boxes-- boxes were observed wet. Several bulk items - oil, flour rice bran flakes canned goods-- all observed with holes in bags rat dropping and pee sprayed on bags in storage facility. Items need to be lifted off the floor, properly wrapped and area needs to be cleaned and repaired due to rats and roaches.
6-1A	proper cold holding temperatures 511-6-1.04(6)(f) - time/temperature control for safety; cold holding (p)	9	Multiple foods cold holding temped above 41°F. All tcs items shall be cold held at 41°F or below. COS: Discarded during inspection. Items not cooled properly from last night. Discussed cooing methods with PIC.
6-1B	proper hot holding temperatures 511-6-1.04(6)(f) - time/temperature control for safety; hot holding (p)	9	Fish Sticks that were prepared for lunch service were located in hot boxes temped at 110, 118 124 and 132 degrees. All food being hot held for service needs to be held at 135 degrees and above. Discussed with 1st shift manager reheating fish sticks prior to service.
15A	food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed, and used 511-6-1.05(6)(a) - good repair & proper adjustment (c)	1	East side kitchen hot serving line out of order/ not working-- unit needs to be repaired as needed. Also Ware wash machine 1 , 5 cooking ovens, 1 tilting skillet, 1 cooking kettle, 1 griddle, 1 smaller freezer unit, 1 bulk ice machine are not working-C. Action all items are in need of repair and or replacement as needed.
16B	plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) Repeat	2	Multiple sinks out of order due to leaking or just not turning on at all. All plumbing systems shall be maintained in good repair.
17C	physical facilities installed, maintained, and clean Repeat	1	Floors walls and ceiling have several holes, tiles broken that need to be fixed and repaired. this could be a potential contribution to the rat and roach infestation.
18	insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c) Repeat	3	Observed multiple RATS and Roaches in kitchen facility. The presence of insects, rodents, and other pests shall be controlled by: 1. Routinely inspecting incoming shipments 2. Routinely inspecting premises for pests 3. Using methods of pest control This has been an on going problem with little to no change- cages that were being ordered last time still have not been put into place- An SOP needs to be discussed with the Prison Warden and corrective measures need to occur.

View full inspector report on DPH →

Code	Violation	Pts	Inspector notes
16B	plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) Repeat	2	Multiple sinks out of order due to leaking. All plumbing systems shall be maintained in good repair.
17C	physical facilities installed, maintained, and clean 511-6-1.07(5)(a),(b) - good repair, physical facilities maintained; cleaning, frequency & restrictions, cleaned often enough to keep them clean (c) Repeat	1	Walk in freezer has a build up of ice on floor (not on food) due to condenser not functioning properly. All physical facilities shall be maintained clean and in good repair. CA: Maintenance called for both the units and plumbing issues.
18	insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(2)(k) - insect control devices (c) Repeat	3	OBserved multiple flies and rates in facility. The presence of insects, rodents, and other pests shall be controlled by: 1. Routinely inspecting incoming shipments 2. Routinely inspecting premises for pests 3. Using methods of pest control 4. Eliminate harboring conditions CA: Pest control is being put out, and maintenance has been contacted regarding rats. All food compromised by the rats is discarded.

View full inspector report on DPH →

Code	Violation	Pts	Inspector notes
1-2B	certified food protection manager 511-6-1.03(3)(a) - food safety manager certification (pf)	4	NO CFSM in the faciliy. Food service establishments shall have a certified food safety manager to ensure food safety is being managed. CA: PIC/Nutrition director is going to take the class aug 8-10.
2-2D	adequate handwashing facilities supplied & accessible 511-6-1.07(3)(b) - hand drying provision (pf)	4	No paper towels or hand soap avaliable at handwashing sink. All handwashing sinks shall always have (paper towels) hand drying provisions and hand cleansers avaliable at each handwashing sink. COS: Added during inspection.
6-1A	proper cold holding temperatures 511-6-1.04(6)(f) - time/temperature control for safety; cold holding (p) Corrected Repeat	9	Multiple foods cold holding temped above 41°F. All tcs items shall be cold held at 41°F or below. COS: Discarded during inspection. Items not cooled properly from last night. Discussed cooing methods with PIC.
6-1B	proper hot holding temperatures 511-6-1.04(6)(f) - time/temperature control for safety; hot holding (p) Corrected Repeat	9	Corn and beef//Taco salad hot holding on steam table temped at 110°F. All tcs items being hot held shall be maintained at 135°F or above. COS: Reheated during inspection.
16B	plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c)	2	Multiple sinks out of order due to leaking. All plumbing systems shall be maintained in good repair.
17C	physical facilities installed, maintained, and clean 511-6-1.07(5)(a),(b) - good repair, physical facilities maintained; cleaning, frequency & restrictions, cleaned often enough to keep them clean (c)	1	Walk in freezer has abuild up of ice on floor (not on food) due to condenser not funcitoning properly. All physical facilities shall be maintained clean and in good repair. CA: Maintanence called for both the units and plumbing issues.
18	insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c)	3	OBserved multiple flies and rates in facility. The presence of insects, rodents, and other pests shall be controlled by: 1. Routinely inspecting incoming shipments 2. Routinely inspecting premises for pests 3. Using methods of pest control 4. Eliminate harboring conditions CA: Pest control is being put out, and maintanence has been contacted regarding rats. All food compromised by the rats is discarded.

View full inspector report on DPH →

Recent reports (16)

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

ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 21, 2025
A lawsuit alleges that officers failed to intervene despite neighboring prisoners screaming for help while Henegar was being choked and stomped by his cellmate over the course of hours.
"Neighboring prisoners allegedly heard his screams and called for officers to intervene, but none did, the lawsuit alleges."
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 21, 2025
A lawsuit alleges that Henegar was housed with a mentally ill cellmate who had previously attacked him.
"The suit also alleges that Henegar was in a cell with a mentally ill inmate who had previously attacked him."
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 21, 2025
A lawsuit alleges that Henegar, who had a disability, was choked over the course of hours by his cellmate, who also stomped on his chest and strangled him.
"A lawsuit alleges that Henegar — who had a disability, according to the death data — was choked over the course of hours by his cellmate, who also stomped on his chest and strangled him."
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Apr 6, 2026
Prison staff ignored Henegar's screams and requests for help and the pleas of other inmates during a five-hour beating that resulted in his death.
""Everybody in the dorm could hear it. David himself asked the guard for help, and the guard told him to deal with it and then just moved on," Brady told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Inmates in the dorm were banging their flaps and hollering and kicking their doors and trying to get the guard's attention, and the guard just ignored everybody.""
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Apr 6, 2026
Prison staff failed to act on repeated reports from prisoners about cellmate Hinton-Leonard's mental health problems and a prior choking incident a week before the fatal attack.
"Brady said Henegar had complained to a number of prison staff about the danger posed by his cellmate, whose mental health problems were repeatedly reported to guards by prisoners. She said Hinton-Leonard choked Henegar to the point of unconsciousness a week before the fatal attack."
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Apr 6, 2026
Prison officials kept Henegar in custody past his scheduled release date due to an administrative delay, leaving him exposed to the fatal attack.
"Henegar, 44, was supposed to have been released to a jail in another county two weeks before the deadly attack on Oct. 16, 2021, but prison officials kept him in custody in Wrightsville because of an administrative delay, lawyers for his family said."
Read source →
ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Apr 6, 2026
Hinton-Leonard allegedly hogtied Henegar and beat and choked him over five hours, causing fatal injuries.
"According to the lawsuit, Hinton-Leonard hogtied Henegar with a piece of cloth and a leather belt then beat and choked him over the course of five or so hours. Henegar was later found dead in the cell with multiple injuries, including a broken neck and ribs, fractured nose and breastbone, torn lung and liver, and brain and scalp hemorrhages."
Read source →
ALLEGATION Submitted via GPS public submission form Recorded by GPS: Apr 10, 2026
OTHER — JOHNSON STATE PRISON: Source reports ongoing unsanitary food tray conditions at Johnson State Prison. Provided 5 photos showing dirty, stained institutional…
Read source →
OBSERVATION According to Facebook, Anonymous member Published: Oct 22, 2026
Anonymous member wrote in the Ga. Prisons Exposed Facebook group on October 22, 2026: "My lo at Johnson state prison said stg cert knight or whatever he is keep torturing them in the buildings taking others store goods and eating it himself or giving it away he be taking bags just because he’s angry or things don’t go his way they are planning as a group to gather a lawsuit for harassment the last warden couldn’t do anything about his behavior and they also see him harassing staff all the time but there is more so if they can’t do anything about him they will post the rest"
"My lo at Johnson state prison said stg cert knight or whatever he is keep torturing them in the buildings taking others store goods and eating it himself or giving it away he be taking bags just because he’s angry or things don’t go his way they are planning as a group to gather a lawsuit for harassment the last warden couldn’t do anything about his behavior and they also see him harassing staff all the time but there is more so if they can’t do anything about him they will post the rest"
Read source →
OBSERVATION According to Facebook, Stephanie Navarrete Published: Aug 10, 2026
Stephanie Navarrete, a Georgia prison-reform advocate, wrote on Facebook on August 10, 2026: "I am asking everyone who sees this post to WATCH THIS VIDEO. Listen to it. Share it. The man speaking is Tyler Ryals — a former Georgia Department of Corrections employee and an advocate with WorldWide Chain Breakers. Tyler isn’t speaking simply as someone who has heard stories about Georgia’s prisons. He worked inside them. And now he is using his experience and his voice to advocate alongside us for the incarcerated men and women, families, and correctional employees being affected by what he describes as a system in crisis. THIS IS BIGGER THAN ONE PRISON. During this video, Tyler discusses Telfair State Prison, Johnson State Prison, and Wilcox State Prison, while making something very clear: He says these problems are not isolated to those facilities. At approximately 13:47, Tyler says: “This is not just at Telfair or Johnson.” He then points to Wilcox State Prison as another example while discussing the size of the incarcerated population and what he describes as dangerously inadequate staffing. And that brings us to one of the biggest questions Georgia needs to answer: HOW DO YOU SAFELY OPERATE A PRISON WITHOUT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY OPERATE IT? Earlier in the video, Tyler discusses staffing requirements and describes prisons allegedly operating with only a fraction of the officers needed. Think about what that means. When staffing collapses, security collapses with it. There are fewer people available to supervise housing units. Fewer people available to respond to emergencies. Fewer people available to conduct security checks. Fewer people available to control movement. Fewer people available to protect incarcerated individuals. And fewer people available to protect the correctional officers who actually show up for work. Then we act surprised when violence, weapons, drugs, extortion and chaos become increasingly difficult to control. We should not be surprised. Tyler also discusses Johnson State Prison, including its Residential Substance Abuse Treatment programming. According to his account, areas intended to help people overcome substance abuse were themselves affected by widespread access to drugs. Read that again. A prison environment intended to provide substance-abuse rehabilitation allegedly had drugs readily available inside it. How are we supposed to talk seriously about rehabilitation while ignoring the environment in which rehabilitation is supposed to happen? Tyler also describes contraband entering facilities, including drugs, […]"
"I am asking everyone who sees this post to WATCH THIS VIDEO. Listen to it. Share it. The man speaking is Tyler Ryals — a former Georgia Department of Corrections employee and an advocate with WorldWide Chain Breakers. Tyler isn’t speaking simply as someone who has heard stories about Georgia’s prisons. He worked inside them. And now he is using his experience and his voice to advocate alongside us for the incarcerated men and women, families, and correctional employees being affected by what he describes as a system in crisis. THIS IS BIGGER THAN ONE PRISON. During this video, Tyler discusses Telfair State Prison, Johnson State Prison, and Wilcox State Prison, while making something very clear: He says these problems are not isolated to those facilities. At approximately 13:47, Tyler says: “This is not just at Telfair or Johnson.” He then points to Wilcox State Prison as another example while discussing the size of the incarcerated population and what he describes as dangerously inadequate staffing. And that brings us to one of the biggest questions Georgia needs to answer: HOW DO YOU SAFELY OPERATE A PRISON WITHOUT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY OPERATE IT? Earlier in the video, Tyler discusses staffing requirements and describes prisons allegedly operating with only a fraction of the officers needed. Think about what that means. When staffing collapses, security collapses with it. There are fewer people available to supervise housing units. Fewer people available to respond to emergencies. Fewer people available to conduct security checks. Fewer people available to control movement. Fewer people available to protect incarcerated individuals. And fewer people available to protect the correctional officers who actually show up for work. Then we act surprised when violence, weapons, drugs, extortion and chaos become increasingly difficult to control. We should not be surprised. Tyler also discusses Johnson State Prison, including its Residential Substance Abuse Treatment programming. According to his account, areas intended to help people overcome substance abuse were themselves affected by widespread access to drugs. Read that again. A prison environment intended to provide substance-abuse rehabilitation allegedly had drugs readily available inside it. How are we supposed to talk seriously about rehabilitation while ignoring the environment in which rehabilitation is supposed to happen? Tyler also describes contraband entering facilities, including drugs, weapons and cellphones. He talks about compromised security. He talks about inadequate staffing. He talks about people allegedly being able to move in ways that proper security procedures should prevent. And he talks about something WorldWide Chain Breakers has repeatedly said: THIS CRISIS ENDANGERS INCARCERATED PEOPLE AND STAFF. There are correctional employees who go to work and try to do their jobs. They have families waiting for them at home too. When a prison designed to operate with significantly more personnel is operating with a fraction of that staffing, everyone inside that institution is placed at greater risk. Accountability does not require us to hate correctional officers. Reform does not require us to choose between incarcerated people and employees. We can demand humane treatment for incarcerated people AND safe working conditions for correctional staff. In fact, we SHOULD demand both. BUT HERE IS THE PART PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO HEAR. Tyler says he submitted a sworn whistleblower statement on August 1, 2024. Then, on October 1, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice publicly announced findings from its investigation into conditions in Georgia’s state prisons. Now look at the calendar. TODAY IS AUGUST 10, 2026. Almost two years later, we are STILL talking about violence. STILL talking about severe staffing problems. STILL talking about contraband. STILL talking about drugs. STILL talking about security failures. STILL hearing from frightened families. STILL hearing allegations from incarcerated men and women. STILL hearing concerns from current and former employees. And STILL asking when meaningful change is going to happen. At approximately 9:21 in this video, Tyler makes a statement that deserves everyone’s attention: “They know. They can’t say that they don’t know.” He says officials have been told by families, staff, incarcerated people and the DOJ. And that is exactly why accountability matters. There is an enormous difference between a government agency not knowing a problem exists and an agency being repeatedly warned about a problem. HOW MANY WARNINGS ARE ENOUGH? How many families have to speak? How many employees have to speak? How many former employees have to speak? How many incarcerated people have to report the same types of conditions? How many investigations have to occur? How many videos have to surface? How many incidents have to happen? How many people have to be hurt or die before protecting human life becomes the priority? Tyler also speaks about why some current employees may be afraid to come forward. He says individuals have contacted him but want to remain anonymous because they fear what could happen to their employment if they speak publicly. That should concern everyone. Because people working inside these institutions may possess some of the most important information about what is actually happening behind those walls. THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TELLING THE TRUTH AND FEEDING THEIR FAMILIES. WorldWide Chain Breakers will continue providing a voice for people who feel they don’t have one. We will advocate for incarcerated men and women. We will stand with their families. We will listen to former employees. We will listen to current employees willing to speak. And we will continue demanding accountability from the people responsible for operating Georgia’s correctional system. This isn’t about being anti-corrections. It is about being pro-human life. It is about safety. It is about constitutional protections. It is about rehabilitation. It is about accountability. And ultimately, it is about recognizing that putting someone in prison does not remove their humanity. A prison sentence is the punishment. Violence is not supposed to be part of the sentence. Being left without adequate protection is not supposed to be part of the sentence. Living surrounded by uncontrolled contraband is not supposed to be part of the sentence. And correctional employees being expected to manage enormous populations without adequate staffing should not be accepted as normal either. Tyler ends this portion of his message by essentially issuing a challenge: If you’re sitting on information and waiting for the right time to speak — now is the time. WorldWide Chain Breakers stands behind our advocate Tyler Ryals as he continues speaking about what he witnessed and what he believes needs to change. And we will continue doing what advocacy requires: ASKING QUESTIONS. DOCUMENTING. SPEAKING. SHOWING UP. AND DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY. Telfair. Johnson. Wilcox. And every other Georgia prison where human beings are living or working under dangerous conditions. WE SEE YOU. WE HEAR YOU. AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO STOP TALKING ABOUT IT. They have been told. They know. Now Georgia needs ACTION. Stephanie Navarrete Founder & CEO, WorldWide Chain Breakers #WorldWideChainBreakers #GeorgiaPrisons #GeorgiaDepartmentOfCorrections #GDC #TelfairStatePrison #JohnsonStatePrison #WilcoxStatePrison #PrisonReform #CorrectionsReform #Accountability #GeorgiaPrisonReform #HumanRights #Whistleblower #JusticeReform #TheyKnow #TimeForAction"
Read source →
OBSERVATION According to Facebook, Tyler Ryals Published: Jul 20, 2026
Tyler Ryals, a former GDC officer, wrote on Facebook on July 20, 2026: "Medical/Security neglect At Johnson State Prison over the past weekend TIME SENSITIVE EMERGENCY ALERT I'm told by a reliable source that J-bld (lockdown) at Johnson didn't recieve their AM medications at all on one of the days this past weekend. The reason for this I'm told is that the officers there couldn't/wouldn't secure the door flaps so that the nurses could safely give out medications. There have already been officers and nurses who have had feces thrown on them by inmates in J-bld recently due to the flaps constantly being left unsecured. Johnson has high tech cameras all over the compound (the cameras go back at least a full week from what I remember). It should be easy for them to disprove this allegation should it be exaggerated/untrue. If the allegation is true, it demands immediate attention. As for me, it's 100% believable given my own personal experiences at Johnson State Prison. * The source must remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation for telling the truth by the rouge and unconstitutional criminal entity called the GDC. As someone who was retaliated against by the GDC myself... I completely understand their position."
"Medical/Security neglect At Johnson State Prison over the past weekend TIME SENSITIVE EMERGENCY ALERT I'm told by a reliable source that J-bld (lockdown) at Johnson didn't recieve their AM medications at all on one of the days this past weekend. The reason for this I'm told is that the officers there couldn't/wouldn't secure the door flaps so that the nurses could safely give out medications. There have already been officers and nurses who have had feces thrown on them by inmates in J-bld recently due to the flaps constantly being left unsecured. Johnson has high tech cameras all over the compound (the cameras go back at least a full week from what I remember). It should be easy for them to disprove this allegation should it be exaggerated/untrue. If the allegation is true, it demands immediate attention. As for me, it's 100% believable given my own personal experiences at Johnson State Prison. * The source must remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation for telling the truth by the rouge and unconstitutional criminal entity called the GDC. As someone who was retaliated against by the GDC myself... I completely understand their position."
Read source →
OBSERVATION According to Facebook, Tyler Ryals Published: Aug 7, 2026
Tyler Ryals, a former GDC officer, wrote on Facebook on August 7, 2026: "JOHNSON STATE PRISON: WHEN A MENTAL HEALTH DORM IS INFESTED, THIS IS NO LONGER JUST A “PRISON CONDITION” — IT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN DIGNITY CRISIS. PLEASE SHARE. WorldWide Chain Breakers has received a deeply disturbing firsthand report concerning conditions inside Johnson State Prison. According to the information provided to us, E Building — identified to us as the mental health dorm — is currently under quarantine because of an alleged infestation involving lice, bed bugs, and scabies. Read that again. The MENTAL HEALTH dorm. A population that already includes some of the most vulnerable men inside the institution is reportedly dealing with an infestation severe enough to warrant quarantine. But what we were told happened next raises even more serious questions. Men from the quarantined E Building were allegedly brought into the same medical area where prisoners from other housing units were waiting for treatment. He described watching one man from E Building being instructed to remove his shirt. What he says happened next is horrifying. According to his account, visible bugs fell from the man’s body onto the floor and scattered. He compared it to throwing a handful of M&M’s onto the floor and watching them scatter in different directions. Let the reality of that sink in. A man was allegedly so severely affected by an infestation that insects were visibly falling from his body — yet prisoners from other dormitories were reportedly sitting nearby in the same medical environment. How is that infection control? How is that quarantine? How does bringing potentially infested individuals into a shared medical area without adequate containment protect patients, medical staff, correctional staff, or the rest of the prison population? And perhaps the most important question: WHAT IS BEING DONE FOR THE MEN IN E BUILDING? We aren’t talking about inconvenience. We are talking about human beings reportedly suffering from lice, bed bugs and scabies inside a mental health housing unit. The report further alleges that the infestation has not been adequately eradicated and that the men housed there continue to suffer. WorldWide Chain Breakers has also received complaints concerning the management of medical services at Johnson State Prison, including allegations regarding the conduct and decision-making of Unit Manager Cunningham. We are not presenting personal character accusations as established fact. What we ARE asking for is accountability for the decisions […]"
"JOHNSON STATE PRISON: WHEN A MENTAL HEALTH DORM IS INFESTED, THIS IS NO LONGER JUST A “PRISON CONDITION” — IT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN DIGNITY CRISIS. PLEASE SHARE. WorldWide Chain Breakers has received a deeply disturbing firsthand report concerning conditions inside Johnson State Prison. According to the information provided to us, E Building — identified to us as the mental health dorm — is currently under quarantine because of an alleged infestation involving lice, bed bugs, and scabies. Read that again. The MENTAL HEALTH dorm. A population that already includes some of the most vulnerable men inside the institution is reportedly dealing with an infestation severe enough to warrant quarantine. But what we were told happened next raises even more serious questions. Men from the quarantined E Building were allegedly brought into the same medical area where prisoners from other housing units were waiting for treatment. He described watching one man from E Building being instructed to remove his shirt. What he says happened next is horrifying. According to his account, visible bugs fell from the man’s body onto the floor and scattered. He compared it to throwing a handful of M&M’s onto the floor and watching them scatter in different directions. Let the reality of that sink in. A man was allegedly so severely affected by an infestation that insects were visibly falling from his body — yet prisoners from other dormitories were reportedly sitting nearby in the same medical environment. How is that infection control? How is that quarantine? How does bringing potentially infested individuals into a shared medical area without adequate containment protect patients, medical staff, correctional staff, or the rest of the prison population? And perhaps the most important question: WHAT IS BEING DONE FOR THE MEN IN E BUILDING? We aren’t talking about inconvenience. We are talking about human beings reportedly suffering from lice, bed bugs and scabies inside a mental health housing unit. The report further alleges that the infestation has not been adequately eradicated and that the men housed there continue to suffer. WorldWide Chain Breakers has also received complaints concerning the management of medical services at Johnson State Prison, including allegations regarding the conduct and decision-making of Unit Manager Cunningham. We are not presenting personal character accusations as established fact. What we ARE asking for is accountability for the decisions being made. Because this issue is bigger than one employee. Who authorized prisoners from a quarantined housing unit to enter a common medical treatment area? What infection-control procedures were followed? What treatment is being provided to affected prisoners? Has E Building been professionally treated? Have mattresses, clothing, bedding and personal property been properly treated or replaced where necessary? Are prisoners being given appropriate medications and follow-up care? Has the medical department itself been inspected or treated following possible exposure? And who is documenting the extent of this outbreak? These questions deserve answers. And Johnson State Prison cannot be viewed in isolation. Just recently, WorldWide Chain Breakers Advocate and whistleblower Tyler Ryals sounded the alarm regarding another reported medical crisis — this time at Telfair State Prison, where information provided to him indicated an ongoing staph infection outbreak in A-2. Ryals reported that the outbreak had allegedly continued for nearly three weeks, that approximately ten men were showing signs of infection, that at least two prisoners had reportedly required outside hospitalization, and that one affected man was reportedly bedridden. He also raised another issue we have continued speaking about: CHRONIC STAFFING FAILURES. Ryals described buildings being left without adequate officer presence and explained exactly why that can become deadly. Drawing from his own experience working inside Telfair State Prison, he recalled responding to a violent incident in 2021 after a prisoner desperately kicked the dormitory door to attract staff attention. When officers entered, they discovered multiple injured men and one man lying unresponsive. That man later died. His point was simple, and it matters today: When housing units are inadequately staffed, a medical emergency, assault, suicide attempt, fire, overdose or other crisis can become fatal before anyone even knows help is needed. Now we are hearing allegations of a staph outbreak at one Georgia prison. Lice, bed bugs and scabies reportedly affecting a mental health dorm at another. And these reports exist alongside years of complaints concerning understaffing, violence, inadequate medical care, sanitation problems, lockdowns and deteriorating conditions throughout Georgia’s prison system. HOW MANY TIMES DOES THE PUBLIC HAVE TO HEAR “THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT” BEFORE WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE INCIDENTS ARE NO LONGER ISOLATED? This is exactly why advocates keep speaking. This is exactly why whistleblowers matter. This is exactly why incarcerated men and women, their families, former employees and current employees who are willing to speak need to be heard instead of intimidated into silence. And let me make something perfectly clear: Humane treatment is NOT a reward for good behavior. It is not something a person earns by being innocent. It is not something reserved for people society likes. A prison sentence means the loss of liberty. It does not mean being sentenced to live with parasites crawling on your body. It does not mean untreated infectious disease. It does not mean being housed somewhere so understaffed that no one may be available when you are dying. It does not mean mentally ill men should be forgotten because the public cannot see them. Accountability is not anti-corrections. Demanding sanitary housing is not anti-officer. Demanding adequate staffing protects correctional officers AND incarcerated people. Demanding competent medical care protects everyone who enters that institution. And exposing dangerous conditions is not the problem. THE CONDITIONS ARE THE PROBLEM. WorldWide Chain Breakers is calling for the reported situation at Johnson State Prison’s E Building to be investigated immediately, including the extent of the infestation, treatment being provided to affected prisoners, sanitation and extermination procedures, quarantine protocols, medical-department exposure procedures, and the conditions specifically affecting the mental health population housed there. We also continue to stand behind the call made by WWCB Advocate and whistleblower Tyler Ryals: IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION IS NEEDED IN GEORGIA’S PRISONS. Not another committee. Not another carefully worded statement. Not another promise that concerns are being “looked into.” ACTION. Because behind every prison number is still a human being. Behind those walls are somebody’s husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister. And whether someone has one year left to serve or life— THEIR SENTENCE SHOULD NEVER INCLUDE BEING EATEN ALIVE BY BUGS, LEFT WITHOUT MEDICAL CARE, OR ABANDONED IN A BUILDING WITHOUT ADEQUATE STAFF. If these reports are inaccurate, then the Georgia Department of Corrections should have no problem providing transparent documentation showing the actual conditions, treatment protocols and corrective measures currently in place. But if they are accurate? Then somebody needs to answer for why human beings are being allowed to live this way. We will continue asking questions. We will continue documenting reports. We will continue amplifying the voices coming from behind these walls. And we will continue demanding accountability. SILENCE PROTECTS SYSTEMS. EXPOSURE PROTECTS PEOPLE. — Stephanie Navarrete Founder & CEO, WorldWide Chain Breakers SHARE THIS. ASK QUESTIONS. DEMAND ANSWERS. #WorldWideChainBreakers #JohnsonStatePrison #GeorgiaPrisons #GDC #PrisonReform #HumanRights #PrisonConditions #MentalHealthMatters #Accountability #GeorgiaDepartmentOfCorrections #TylerRyals #Whistleblower #PrisonAdvocacy"
Read source →
WITNESS CLAIM According to Tyler C. Ryals (YouTube channel) Recorded by GPS: Jul 20, 2026
Tyler Ryals (former GDC CERT Commander/sergeant major; public whistleblower) describes on his own YouTube channel his last incident inside a prison — Johnson State Prison, ~spring 2024: the ~1,400-man compound ran a Saturday with FOUR staff total (a just-promoted sergeant as officer-in-charge, no lieutenant; one officer alone in the lockdown building; no male officer, so no visitation strip searches without him). Responding alone to an inmate in drug/mental crisis whom ~20 other inmates were about to violently eject from the L-building ARSAT dorm, he deployed a taser and had to accept help from inmate aides to complete the restraint. The sergeant then never filed the incident report for the taser use of force ("didn't know how"), leaving the incident absent from GDC's system. He also recounts: female officers escorted by inmate "MA bodyguards" for protection; a prior Johnson incident where a female officer running lockdown showers alone was stabbed in the neck and life-flighted; and an inmate describing being tied up and tortured in a building for days.
""That's what you call deliberate indifference. The GDC does not care one bit about its staff, the inmates that are inside that are incarcerated in their prison system, or the civilians of Georgia... that's easily provable by the fact that they've allowed these conditions to get like this and stay like this.""
Read source →
OBSERVATION According to Migrated From Case Recorded by GPS: May 8, 2026
My significant other was incarcerated in the Johnson State Prison, he was denied proper Medical and Mental Health Care. Having requested many times over several months. At times t…
READER REPORT Submitted via GPS public submission form Recorded by GPS: Apr 19, 2026
OTHER — JOHNSON STATE PRISON: Report received via Facebook on 2026-04-19 from Meloney McClure Shirley regarding conditions at Johnson State Prison (Wrightsville, Johnson…
Read source →
READER REPORT Submitted via GPS public submission form Recorded by GPS: Mar 19, 2026
OTHER — JOHNSON STATE PRISON: My significant other was incarcerated in the Johnson State Prison, he was denied proper Medical and Mental Health…
Read source →

Timeline (37)

October 22, 2026

Anonymous member wrote in the Ga. Prisons Exposed Facebook group on October 22, 2026: "My lo at Johnson state prison said stg cert knight or whatever he is keep torturing them in the buildings taking others store goods and eating it himself or giving it away he be taking bags just because he’s angry or things don’t go his way they are planning as a group to gather a lawsuit for harassment the last warden couldn’t do anything about his behavior and they also see him harassing staff all the time but there is more so if they can’t do anything about him they will post the rest" report

August 10, 2026

Stephanie Navarrete, a Georgia prison-reform advocate, wrote on Facebook on August 10, 2026: "I am asking everyone who sees this post to WATCH THIS VIDEO. Listen to it. Share it. The man speaking is Tyler Ryals — a former Georgia Department of Corrections employee and an advocate with WorldWide Chain Breakers. Tyler isn’t speaking simply as someone who has heard stories about Georgia’s prisons. He worked inside them. And now he is using his experience and his voice to advocate alongside us for the incarcerated men and women, families, and correctional employees being affected by what he describes as a system in crisis. THIS IS BIGGER THAN ONE PRISON. During this video, Tyler discusses Telfair State Prison, Johnson State Prison, and Wilcox State Prison, while making something very clear: He says these problems are not isolated to those facilities. At approximately 13:47, Tyler says: “This is not just at Telfair or Johnson.” He then points to Wilcox State Prison as another example while discussing the size of the incarcerated population and what he describes as dangerously inadequate staffing. And that brings us to one of the biggest questions Georgia needs to answer: HOW DO YOU SAFELY OPERATE A PRISON WITHOUT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY OPERATE IT? Earlier in the video, Tyler discusses staffing requirements and describes prisons allegedly operating with only a fraction of the officers needed. Think about what that means. When staffing collapses, security collapses with it. There are fewer people available to supervise housing units. Fewer people available to respond to emergencies. Fewer people available to conduct security checks. Fewer people available to control movement. Fewer people available to protect incarcerated individuals. And fewer people available to protect the correctional officers who actually show up for work. Then we act surprised when violence, weapons, drugs, extortion and chaos become increasingly difficult to control. We should not be surprised. Tyler also discusses Johnson State Prison, including its Residential Substance Abuse Treatment programming. According to his account, areas intended to help people overcome substance abuse were themselves affected by widespread access to drugs. Read that again. A prison environment intended to provide substance-abuse rehabilitation allegedly had drugs readily available inside it. How are we supposed to talk seriously about rehabilitation while ignoring the environment in which rehabilitation is supposed to happen? Tyler also describes contraband entering facilities, including drugs, […]" report

August 7, 2026

Tyler Ryals, a former GDC officer, wrote on Facebook on August 7, 2026: "JOHNSON STATE PRISON: WHEN A MENTAL HEALTH DORM IS INFESTED, THIS IS NO LONGER JUST A “PRISON CONDITION” — IT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN DIGNITY CRISIS. PLEASE SHARE. WorldWide Chain Breakers has received a deeply disturbing firsthand report concerning conditions inside Johnson State Prison. According to the information provided to us, E Building — identified to us as the mental health dorm — is currently under quarantine because of an alleged infestation involving lice, bed bugs, and scabies. Read that again. The MENTAL HEALTH dorm. A population that already includes some of the most vulnerable men inside the institution is reportedly dealing with an infestation severe enough to warrant quarantine. But what we were told happened next raises even more serious questions. Men from the quarantined E Building were allegedly brought into the same medical area where prisoners from other housing units were waiting for treatment. He described watching one man from E Building being instructed to remove his shirt. What he says happened next is horrifying. According to his account, visible bugs fell from the man’s body onto the floor and scattered. He compared it to throwing a handful of M&M’s onto the floor and watching them scatter in different directions. Let the reality of that sink in. A man was allegedly so severely affected by an infestation that insects were visibly falling from his body — yet prisoners from other dormitories were reportedly sitting nearby in the same medical environment. How is that infection control? How is that quarantine? How does bringing potentially infested individuals into a shared medical area without adequate containment protect patients, medical staff, correctional staff, or the rest of the prison population? And perhaps the most important question: WHAT IS BEING DONE FOR THE MEN IN E BUILDING? We aren’t talking about inconvenience. We are talking about human beings reportedly suffering from lice, bed bugs and scabies inside a mental health housing unit. The report further alleges that the infestation has not been adequately eradicated and that the men housed there continue to suffer. WorldWide Chain Breakers has also received complaints concerning the management of medical services at Johnson State Prison, including allegations regarding the conduct and decision-making of Unit Manager Cunningham. We are not presenting personal character accusations as established fact. What we ARE asking for is accountability for the decisions […]" report

July 21, 2026

Ribbon-cutting for Medical Intensive Infirmary at Johnson State Prison other

The Georgia Department of Corrections held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 21 for a new Medical Intensive Infirmary at Johnson State Prison, marking the completion of a statewide modular construction program.

Source: Correctional News

July 21, 2026

GDC opens new modular housing units adding 524 beds policy change

The Georgia Department of Corrections installed ModCorr MaxMod modular housing units at Dodge, Lee, Montgomery, and Hays state prisons, and a 20-bed Medical Intensive Infirmary at Johnson State Prison, adding a total of 524 beds. The project was celebrated at…

Source: Gdc.georgia.gov

July 20, 2026

Tyler Ryals, a former GDC officer, wrote on Facebook on July 20, 2026: "Medical/Security neglect At Johnson State Prison over the past weekend TIME SENSITIVE EMERGENCY ALERT I'm told by a reliable source that J-bld (lockdown) at Johnson didn't recieve their AM medications at all on one of the days this past weekend. The reason for this I'm told is that the officers there couldn't/wouldn't secure the door flaps so that the nurses could safely give out medications. There have already been officers and nurses who have had feces thrown on them by inmates in J-bld recently due to the flaps constantly being left unsecured. Johnson has high tech cameras all over the compound (the cameras go back at least a full week from what I remember). It should be easy for them to disprove this allegation should it be exaggerated/untrue. If the allegation is true, it demands immediate attention. As for me, it's 100% believable given my own personal experiences at Johnson State Prison. * The source must remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation for telling the truth by the rouge and unconstitutional criminal entity called the GDC. As someone who was retaliated against by the GDC myself... I completely understand their position." report

July 20, 2026

Tyler Ryals (former GDC CERT Commander/sergeant major; public whistleblower) describes on his own YouTube channel his last incident inside a prison — Johnson State Prison, ~spring 2024: the ~1,400-man compound ran a Saturday with FOUR staff total (a just-promoted sergeant as officer-in-charge, no lieutenant; one officer alone in the lockdown building; no male officer, so no visitation strip searches without him). Responding alone to an inmate in drug/mental crisis whom ~20 other inmates were about to violently eject from the L-building ARSAT dorm, he deployed a taser and had to accept help from inmate aides to complete the restraint. The sergeant then never filed the incident report for the taser use of force ("didn't know how"), leaving the incident absent from GDC's system. He also recounts: female officers escorted by inmate "MA bodyguards" for protection; a prior Johnson incident where a female officer running lockdown showers alone was stabbed in the neck and life-flighted; and an inmate describing being tied up and tortured in a building for days. report

Full verbatim timestamped transcript (YouTube auto-captions, unedited; ASR renders "Ryals" as "Rowles") archived at gateway:/home/ubuntu/Case-Files/168-Ryals/Ryals-YouTube-Johnson-SP-2024-last-incident-transcript.txt and attached to Case 168 entry 1073 (file 221). Timeline anchors: incident ~March–June 2024 ("right before the training conference... early July of 2024"), approximately two…

May 8, 2026

My significant other was incarcerated in the Johnson State Prison, he was denied proper Medical and Mental Health Care. Having requested many times over several months. At times t… report

My significant other was incarcerated in the Johnson State Prison, he was denied proper Medical and Mental Health Care. Having requested many times over several months. At times the showers wouldn\'t be given or meals would be forgotten. 8 months…

Source Articles (10)

The Swing Space That Wasn't: 524 New Beds, a Border-Wall Family, and No Contract Georgia Will Show

Aug 24, 2026

El espacio de transición que nunca fue: 524 camas nuevas, una familia del muro fronterizo y un contrato que Georgia no quiere mostrar

Aug 24, 2026

Dunked, Stacked, and Served: Why Georgia Prison Trays Are Making People Sick

Apr 10, 2026

Hundidas, apiladas y servidas: por qué las bandejas de las prisiones de Georgia están enfermando a la gente

Apr 10, 2026

State Settles Lawsuit In Death of Area GDC Inmate

Google API · Apr 8, 2026

Former leadership

Officials who previously held leadership roles at this facility.

Role	Name	Tenure	Deaths this facility / career
WARDEN 1 (facility lead)	Watson, Kochelle	2019-01-01 → 2025-12-31	66 / 66
WARDEN 1 (facility lead)	Caldwell, Antoine Galen	2017-01-01 → 2021-12-31	27 / 61
Warden (facility lead)	Chambers, Brian Keith	2022-02-01 → 2024-06-15	24 / 24
WARDEN 1 (facility lead)	Emmons, Shawn F	2016-01-01 → 2016-12-31	— / 62
DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy)	Messer, ADA Y	2018-01-01 → 2025-12-31	81 / 81
Deputy Warden (facility deputy)	Franklin, Lakisha M	2023-11-22 → 2023-11-22	— / —
Deputy Warden (facility deputy)	Prosser, Travis T	2023-11-22 → 2023-11-22	— / —
Chaplain (specialty lead)	Lester, Forrest J	2023-11-22 → 2023-11-22	— / —

View full GDC Leadership Accountability page →

Location

290 Donovan-Harrison Rd, Wrightsville, GA 31096 32.74349, -82.70235

Open in Google Maps Open in OpenStreetMap

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 JOHNSON STATE PRISON, March 9, 1981 — **March 9, 1981**USGS aerial photo (NHAP NC1NHAP800387141)

Aerial photo of JOHNSON STATE PRISON, March 15, 1988 — **March 15, 1988**USGS aerial photo (NAPP 701-102)

Aerial photo of JOHNSON STATE PRISON, February 23, 1993 — **February 23, 1993**USGS aerial photo (NAPP 6576-169)

Aerial photo of JOHNSON STATE PRISON, January 26, 1999 — **January 26, 1999**USGS aerial photo (NAPP 11138-040)

Aerial photo of JOHNSON 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

Follow Johnson State Prison

Leadership & Accountability (as of 2026 records)

About

Johnson State Prison: Classification Drift, a Cellmate Killing, and a Kitchen That Keeps Failing Inspection

A Death Record of 89, and a Homicide Count That Keeps Climbing

The Henegar Killing, the Lawsuit, and a $4 Million Payout

What the Death Reports Do and Don't Say

Classification Drift: A Medium Prison Holding Close-Custody Men

Three Officers, No Booth, and a Report That Never Got Filed

The Kitchen: Failing Scores, a Broken Dishwasher, and Trays That Come Back Soiled

Health Care, Mental Health, and a New Infirmary

Drone Detection, Contraband, and an Escape

Staff Arrests and the Compound's Own Accounts

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 (16)

Timeline (37)

Source Articles (10)

Related Intelligence

Deaths in Custody

Staff Misconduct

Legal Settlements & Lawsuits

Facility Conditions

Mental Health

Medical Neglect

Former leadership

Location

Aerial View

Then and now