SMITH STATE PRISON
Facility Information
- Original Design Capacity
- 500 (at 216% capacity)
- Bed Capacity
- 1,526 beds
- Current Population
- 1,082
- Active Lifers
- 289 (26.7% of population) · Sep 2026 GDC report
- Life Without Parole
- 196 (18.1%)
Read: Brown v. Plata - A Legal Roadmap for Georgia's Prison Crisis →
- Address
- 9676 Hwy 301 North, Glennville, GA 30427
- Phone
- (912) 654-5000
- Fax
- (912) 654-5305
- Mailing Address
- P.O. Box 726, Glennville, GA 30427
- County
- Tattnall County
- Opened
- 1993
- Operator
- GDC (Georgia Dept. of Corrections)
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) | Mims, Charles Michael | 2025-07-16 | 4 / 46 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Warren, Willesha | 2022-01-01 | 26 / 26 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Carver, Keenan | 2024-01-01 | 10 / 10 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Kennedy, Ashley L | 2024-01-01 | 10 / 10 |
| Deputy Warden of Security (facility deputy) | Edwards, Brianna | 2026-07-01 | — / — |
About
Last updated September 13, 2026.(DS)
Smith State Prison: Death, Contraband, and a Warden Indicted
Smith State Prison in Glennville, Tattnall County, opened in 1993 as a close-security prison for men, designed for some of Georgia's highest-custody prisoners. The facility uses a combination of cellblocks and dormitories with extensive segregation and special-management housing, and also hosts a residential substance-abuse and transitional program via a nearby center. Originally designed for 500 people, it now carries a rated capacity of 1,526 and held 1,082 people as of the most recent GPS population snapshot — roughly 70.9% of rated capacity.
The numbers that define Smith State Prison are not population figures. They are death counts, indictment records, and a staffing collapse severe enough that the facility has repeatedly become the site through which the state's broader prison crisis is narrated. GPS has independently tracked 38 deaths at Smith since 2020 — a floor, since GDC reports deaths roughly two months late — including 18 homicides, 6 suicides, 7 deaths still pending investigation, 3 natural or medical deaths, 2 attributed to medical neglect, and 2 overdoses. The homicide count alone places Smith among the deadliest facilities in the Georgia system.
The Contraband Enterprise: A Warden Indicted, a Murder Ordered From Inside
The defining story at Smith State Prison is the criminal enterprise that prosecutors allege operated from inside its walls with the warden's participation. Brian Adams, who served as warden at Smith, was arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on a slew of felony charges including Bribery, Criminal Attempt — Georgia RICO Act, False Statements and Writings, and Concealment of Facts; he bonded out of the Tattnall County Jail on February 9, 2023. On May 12, 2026, a Tattnall County grand jury returned a True Bill of Indictment against Adams on six felony counts: Violation of RICO, Making False Statements, Tampering with Evidence (two counts), and Violation of Oath by a Public Officer (two counts). The case was presented by the Georgia Attorney General's Office before a special call-back grand jury after 39 months, according to The Georgia Virtue.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Adams allegedly received U.S. currency through a pattern of racketeering activity associated with the Saint Laurent Squad contraband scheme, an operation run by inmate Nathan Weekes. The Georgia Virtue reported that GBI agents alleged Adams provided false statements in an April 13, 2022 interview when he stated he had not been solicited or bribed by a GDC inmate in the past 10 years. A civil suit filed in Tattnall County State Court in May 2026 alleges Adams and former Corrections Officer Ireon Moore allowed contraband including cell phones, narcotics, and weapons, and facilitated a criminal conspiracy to kill a non-complicit correctional officer; the suit further alleges Moore was paid to participate, with financial arrangements carried out through text message. The Georgia Virtue also reported that Adams remained as warden even after GDC learned of at least two murders alleged to have been orchestrated from behind the walls of Smith State Prison, some eighteen months prior to his eventual termination.
The consequences reached beyond the prison walls. In 2021, 88-year-old Bobby Kicklighter was shot to death in his bed in Glennville in what investigators determined was a case of mistaken identity: Weekes allegedly ordered a hit on a correctional officer who had lived next door to Kicklighter, and the inmate's associates went to the wrong house. Weekes is also tied to two other murders outside the prison, according to AJC reporting. The family of Bobby Kicklighter filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that Adams and Moore facilitated a criminal enterprise that led to his murder in a botched murder-for-hire scheme, The Georgia Virtue reported.
The contraband economy extended well past cell phones. The AJC reported that gang member Ricardo Silva ran a meth trafficking operation coordinating deliveries from Mexico even while segregated from the general inmate population for 23 hours a day; agents seized more than 100 pounds of liquid and crystal meth, and Silva was sentenced to 35 years. Another incarcerated man, Allen, was coordinating with members of the Ghostface Gangsters to operate a drug-trafficking enterprise from prison while serving a life sentence for murder, according to the AJC. Seven shakedowns conducted at Smith State Prison during 2023 yielded 1,509 weapons, 694 cell phones, 854 phone chargers, 7.55 kilos of marijuana, and 12.53 kilos of tobacco, the AJC reported.
The Kitchen Shooting: A Gun Smuggled In, a Worker Killed
On June 16, 2024, inmate Jaydrekus Hart shot and killed 24-year-old Aramark food service employee Aureon Shavea Grace in the kitchen of Smith State Prison at 4:30 a.m., then turned the gun on himself. The AJC reported that Hart was not authorized to be in the kitchen at the time of the shooting but was allegedly favored by GDC staff and permitted to violate rules with impunity. There were no guards in the area where Grace was shot and killed, according to the AJC. Prison staff were repeatedly warned by inmates that a gun was on the premises but failed to initiate a lockdown, conduct an extensive search, or put protective measures in place, the AJC reported. Investigators allege that someone used a drone to smuggle the firearm, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting. State officials have not disclosed how the gun was brought in, the AJC reported.
The shooting triggered a system-wide lockdown of all GDC facilities and the cancellation of visitations. Roads leading into Smith State Prison were closed and officers in tactical gear were stationed at the entrance, the AJC reported. Governor Brian Kemp announced an in-depth, system-wide assessment of the state corrections system following the shooting, with consultants from Guidehouse Inc. visiting prisons, conducting stakeholder interviews, and providing recommendations over the next 12 months.
Deshonda Hagins, Grace's mother, filed a lawsuit in Fulton County State Court against the Georgia Department of Corrections in July 2025, alleging prison staff was repeatedly warned of a gun on the premises but failed to act; the suit seeks a jury trial and an unspecified amount of compensation. After Grace's death, the GDC accused Grace of helping Hart smuggle the gun into the prison, which her mother denies, saying the gun was there before Grace started the job, the AJC reported.
Staffing Collapse: Two-Thirds of Officer Positions Unfilled
The violence at Smith State Prison unfolded against catastrophic understaffing. The AJC reported that two-thirds of correctional officer positions at Smith were unfilled, leaving only 53 officers at a facility designed for 160. GPS's systemic findings document that officer vacancies across Georgia's prisons have run between 49.3% and 60% systemwide for multiple years, against a national standard of no more than 10%; at Valdosta State Prison the rate reached 80% by April 2024. The hiring pipeline cannot close the gap — acceptance rate under 15%, and 82.7% of new hires leave in their first year. Georgia ranks last of 50 states for correctional-officer pay.
The Marshall Project documented the human cost through the experience of Andrew Phillips, a former Smith State Prison officer. Phillips was the sole officer assigned to an area housing 600 men, with no functioning fire extinguishers, when inmates set mattresses on fire. He worked 11 consecutive days amid fire, assault, and single-officer coverage, facing inmates throwing feces and urine at him, before being called to escort a stabbing victim to the hospital. Phillips resigned from Smith State Prison but was convinced to stay in a different position for a few more months before permanently leaving in February 2023. The Marshall Project described the environment as "too brutal, too disgusting."
The consequences were lethal. The AJC reported that Anthony Joseph Zino III, 71, died on April 5, 2023, from asphyxia due to neck compression; the local coroner noted the body was badly decomposed and the man had likely been dead for days before being discovered. The Marshall Project reported that Georgia prison staff were so understaffed they failed to notice a dead and decomposing body for five days, and the AJC reported that due to chronic understaffing, prisoners can be dead in their cells for hours or days before anyone notices, making a mockery of official processes for checking on high-risk inmates.
GPS's systemic findings document that the October 2024 DOJ findings letter explicitly concluded that "the leadership of the Georgia Department of Corrections has lost control of its facilities" and faulted GDC for placing "too much blame on gangs and insufficient emphasis on understaffing." Approximately 31% of the system's roughly 49,000 incarcerated population are validated members of 315 different security threat groups — more than double the national average. DOJ and the Guidehouse 2024 consultant assessment independently concluded that gangs effectively run multiple facilities, controlling access to phones, showers, food, and bed assignments.
The Death Toll: A Facility Where Homicide Is Routine
The mortality records GPS has compiled tell a story of sustained lethal violence. The AJC's homicide-tracking coverage documented death after death at Smith State Prison. Taylor Harrison Brooks, 26, died on April 10, 2020, from multiple stab wounds. John Bretleir Reyes Cardona, 24, died on April 20, 2020, from exsanguination due to a stab wound to the neck. Justin Nathaniel Wilkerson, 25, died on January 5, 2021, from asphyxia due to neck compression; his mother testified at a Georgia Legislature hearing about his mental health diagnoses and prior prison attacks. Desmond Hill, 35, died on April 9, 2021, from strangulation; a family member reported he had called his mother the day before his death saying his cellmate threatened to kill him. Hiwatha Abdulcah Hakeem Jr., 26, died on April 12, 2021, from multiple stab wounds; an incident report shows four other prisoners were involved, and a lawsuit alleges the attackers had a history of violence and that prison officials failed to provide timely and adequate medical care. Derrick Dionte Deshun Harvey, 26, died on June 25, 2021, from a stab wound to the chest. Christopher Ray Reynolds, 38, died on July 1, 2021, from blunt and sharp force injuries to the head and neck. Christopher Michael Redwine, 45, died on September 27, 2021, from asphyxia due to manual strangulation.
The violence continued into 2022 and 2023. Nathan Michael Mahan, 37, died on October 23, 2022, from stab wounds. Randy O'Neal Wynn, 54, died on March 1, 2023, from homicide, with the death certificate listing the investigation as pending. Calvin Darrell Denson Jr., 31, died on April 26, 2023, from a stab wound to the chest; the GDC said seven inmates were involved in a fight. Shaquan Jahrel Boykins, 31, died on May 11, 2023, from blunt impact injuries to the head. Justin Tyler Smith, 37, died on July 28, 2023, from an epidural hematoma caused by blunt force injury; the medical examiner said Smith was punched and fell, striking his head. Quenton G. Mayo, 30, died on August 14, 2023, from stab wounds to the neck; incident report data shows four prisoners were involved. Correctional Officer Robert Danford Clark, 42, died on October 1, 2023, from multiple stab wounds after being attacked by an inmate at Smith State Prison. James Adams Jr., 72, died on November 8, 2023, from blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Donquerius Lamonte Mahone, 37, died on February 4, 2024, from homicide.
The record has continued into 2026. Nicholas Shafer, 24, died on February 8, 2026, classified as a homicide. Dwayne Eric Albritton, 65, died on March 12, 2026, in a death GPS categorizes as medical neglect. Dreeonnie Lee Hart, 25, died on May 14, 2026, with cause still pending.
The AJC reported that 2023 set a record for homicides inside Georgia's prisons with 37 deaths, including the killing of a correctional officer at Smith State Prison. The Marshall Project reported that in fiscal year 2023 there were 40 homicides and 38 suicides in Georgia state prisons. Between 2020 and the end of 2022, at least 90 people were slain in Georgia's prisons, three times the number from the previous three-year period, the AJC reported. GPS has independently tracked 1,890 deaths in GDC custody system-wide since 2020.
Sexual Violence and the 2020 Waterboarding Case
GPS's systemic findings document that sexual violence in Georgia Department of Corrections facilities is systemic. The October 2024 DOJ findings letter concluded that sexual assault is "rampant" and that GDC does not reasonably protect incarcerated people, including LGBTI individuals, from sexual harm. Of 456 sexual-abuse allegations recorded in 2022, only 35 were substantiated (7.7%). GDC's own consultants PREA Auditors of America reviewed 388 PREA investigation files in May 2022 and found that not one met the law's standards. Georgia has never submitted a PREA certification of full compliance to the U.S. Department of Justice in the law's two-decade history.
Smith State Prison is specifically named in this pattern. The AJC reported that a prisoner at Smith State Prison was tied up, beaten, waterboarded, and sexually assaulted by his cellmate; when hospitalized, bars of soap that had apparently been used in a sexual assault fell out of his body. The prisoner had ligature marks on his neck and most upper teeth broken. GPS's systemic findings identify this as the 2020 Smith State Prison case in which an incarcerated person was waterboarded and sexually assaulted by his cellmate.
Food Safety and the Sanitation Gap
The Georgia Department of Public Health has conducted routine food-safety inspections at Smith State Prison, and the scores describe persistent problems rather than isolated lapses: 84 (Grade B) on June 29, 2023, with 6 violations; 82 (Grade B) on January 19, 2024, with 6 violations; 85 (Grade B) on June 27, 2025, with 6 violations; 72 (Grade C) on February 16, 2026, with 9 violations including improper cold holding temperatures and missing or inaccurate thermometers; and 83 (Grade B) on August 12, 2026, with 4 violations including improper cold holding and contamination-prevention failures.
GPS's systemic findings document that DPH inspection scores systematically fail to capture the full scope of food-service sanitation failure across GDC kitchens. GPS has documented a systemic pattern of tray-sanitizing dishwashers broken for sustained periods, sustained roach and rodent infestation in kitchen and serving areas, and meals served on visibly contaminated trays. The pattern is hidden from DPH scores because inspections are scheduled walkthroughs that do not assess equipment under load, and because GPS has documented professional overlap between inspectors and facility staff in small-county settings. High DPH scores at GDC facilities coexist with sustained witness reports of equipment failure and food contamination.
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 — versus the FDA Thrifty Food Plan estimate of roughly $10 per day for an adult man's nutritionally adequate diet. The state spends approximately 14 times more on medical care for incarcerated people ($432 million) than on their food. The Marshall Project independently reported rats in kitchens, insects in food, moldy trays, and visible malnutrition across Georgia facilities, and quoted GPS connecting chronic underfeeding to the violence pattern the DOJ documented in October 2024.
The 2026 Gang-Related Altercation and System-Wide Lockdown
On April 1, 2026, a gang-related altercation at Smith State Prison triggered a system-wide lockdown of all Georgia Department of Corrections facilities. Two inmates were airlifted to local hospitals following what officials believe to have been a gang-related altercation, according to GDC and WTOC reporting. The altercation was contained to one dorm, and all GDC facilities were placed on lockdown out of an abundance of caution until further notice. GPS records show eight assault-by-inmate signals at Smith across January through June 2026, concentrated in April and June at critical severity, and ten staff-misconduct signals naming individuals across the same period, including an external complaint referred to the Tattnall County grand jury. GPS has additionally received accounts of a staff member beaten and stabbed by multiple incarcerated people at the facility in 2026.
Settlements, Litigation, and the Record of Liability
The State of Georgia has paid out multiple liability settlements tied to Smith State Prison, according to the GA DOAS Risk Management settlement ledger obtained through open records. These include $1,450,000 tied to the death of Christopher Heath (incident 2020), $450,000 tied to Julia Roberts (incident 2023), $75,000 tied to Ricardo Tavera Jaramillo (incident 2014), $15,000 tied to Rufus Newberry (incident 2018), and $3,472 tied to Micki Antonio Brown (incident 2022). The Heath settlement is linked to a documented death record.
The Southern Center for Human Rights filed a lawsuit against the Georgia Department of Corrections in 2021 over poor prison conditions, as reported by The Marshall Project. The Georgia Court of Appeals declined to hear an appeal from Brian Adams and Ireon Moore in June 2026, citing lack of jurisdiction due to the use of an incorrect appellate procedure after the new direct-appeal statute took effect, The Georgia Virtue reported. GPS records three lawsuit-filed signals at the facility in May 2026.
Sources
This analysis draws on reporting from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Marshall Project, Georgia Public Broadcasting, The Georgia Virtue, WTOC, and In These Times; Georgia Department of Public Health food-safety inspection records; GA DOAS Risk Management settlement ledgers obtained through open records; state and federal court filings; GDC contraband arrest reports; GPS's own mortality database, contraband data, and systemic findings; and GPS's intelligence records of aggregate signals across multiple sources.
Mortality Statistics
40 deaths documented at this facility from 2020 to present.
Deaths by Year
- 2026: 5
- 2025: 1
- 2024: 6
- 2023: 11
- 2022: 5
- 2021: 7
- 2020: 5
County Public Health Department
Food service and sanitation at SMITH STATE PRISON fall under the jurisdiction of the Tattnall 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
- EH Specialist
- Name
- Lance Dasher
- Address
-
P.O. Box 353
Glennville, GA 30427 - Phone
- (855) 473-4374
- Lance.Dasher@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.
Sample Letter
This is the letter Georgia Prisoners' Speak mailed to all county environmental health inspectors responsible for GDC facilities. Feel free to adapt it.
September 14, 2026
RE: Request for Unannounced Public Health Inspection of Food Service Operations at SMITH STATE PRISON
Dear Lance Dasher,
I am writing to respectfully request that your office conduct a thorough, unannounced inspection of food service and sanitation practices at SMITH STATE PRISON, located in Tattnall County.
Documented concerns
Georgia Prisoners' Speak, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit investigative newsroom, has published extensive investigative reporting on food safety and nutrition failures across Georgia's prison system, including:
- Dangerous sanitation conditions — black mold on chow hall ceilings and air vents, contaminated food trays, and spoiled milk served to inmates.
- Severe nutritional deficiency — roughly 60 cents per meal; inmates receive only 40% of required protein and less than one serving of vegetables per day.
- Preventable deaths — the U.S. Department of Justice's 2024 report confirmed deaths from dehydration, renal failure, and untreated diabetes following food and water deprivation.
- Staged compliance — advance-notice inspections allow facilities to stage temporary improvements, then revert once inspectors leave.
Firsthand testimony
In Surviving on Scraps: Ten Years of Prison Food in Georgia, a person who has spent more than ten years in GDC custody describes no functional dishwashing sanitation, chronic mold on food trays, and roaches found on the undersides of trays at intake facilities. Full account: gps.press/surviving-on-scraps-ten-years-of-prison-food-in-georgia.
Specific requests
- Conduct an unannounced inspection of the kitchen and food service operations at this facility, with particular attention to dishwashing equipment, tray sanitation procedures, and food storage conditions.
- Evaluate compliance with applicable Georgia food safety regulations, including O.C.G.A. § 26-2-370 and the Georgia Food Service Rules and Regulations (Chapter 511-6-1).
- Verify permit status and confirm whether the facility is subject to the same inspection schedule as other institutional food service establishments in the county.
- Make inspection results available to the public, as permitted under Georgia's Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70).
Incarcerated individuals cannot advocate for their own health and safety in the way a restaurant patron can — they cannot choose to eat elsewhere. This places an elevated responsibility on public health officials to ensure these facilities meet the same sanitation standards applied to any food service establishment.
Thank you for your attention to this important public health matter.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Food Safety Inspections
Georgia Department of Public Health
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 12, 2026 | 83 | Routine | |
| Feb 16, 2026 | 72 | Routine | |
| Jun 27, 2025 | 85 | Routine | |
| Jan 19, 2024 | 82 | Routine | |
| Jun 29, 2023 | 84 | Routine |
August 12, 2026 — Score 83
Routine · Inspector: Lance Dasher
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1A |
proper cold holding temperatures 511-6-1.04(6)(f) - time/temperature control for safety; cold holding (p) Corrected | 9 | Observed milk in carton at 44 F, unit has been serviced and is cooling down. Milk out of the cooler has to be maintained at 41 F for service, need a insulated storage unit. |
| 12A |
contamination prevented during food preparation, storage, display 511-6-1.04(4)(z) - miscellaneous sources of contamination (c) Corrected Repeat | 3 | Observed water bottle, carton milk, container of food stored in ice maker. Remove and clean. Observed trays of chicken stored on top of each other without a liner. Separate. |
| 15C |
nonfood-contact surfaces clean 511-6-1.05(7)(d) - nonfood-contact surfaces (c) | 1 | Observed food debris on clean dish storage racks, clean. |
| 18 |
insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c) | 3 | Observed roaches at dishwashing area. |
February 16, 2026 — Score 72
Routine · Inspector: Lance Dasher
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1A |
proper cold holding temperatures 511-6-1.04(6)(f) - time/temperature control for safety; cold holding (p) | 9 | Observed milk temperature at 44 F-45 F in dairy cooler, move contents out of unit until fixed |
| 10D |
food properly labeled; original container 511-6-1.04(7)(d) - other forms of information (c) | 3 | Observed trays of food in storage, cooked vegetables, no date and food labeling. Discard. |
| 11D |
thermometers provided and accurate 511-6-1.05(2)(x) - tmd, located in refrigerators/ hot holding (pf, c) Repeat | 3 | Observed walk in units missing thermometers and some units with thermometers installed at fan units. Move towards entrance of coolers. |
| 12A |
contamination prevented during food preparation, storage, display 511-6-1.04(4)(z) - miscellaneous sources of contamination (c) | 3 | Observed a jug of water stored in ice maker, remove and clean. |
| 14C |
single-use/single-service articles: properly stored, used 511-6-1.05(6)(r) - single-service/single-use articles, use limitations (c) | 1 | Observed single service cups being used to dispense food products at secondary dry storage. Use scoops with handles. |
| 16B |
plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) | 2 | Observed foot valves not working on hand wash sink, and sink is not secured. Observed hose bibb/spigot at four compartment sink broken, will not shut off. Observed in dishwasher room spray nozzle/faucet is broken and will not shut off. Observed floor drains that are clogged with trash. |
| 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 | Observed wall damage in bakery room, clean and paint, observed mildew in dishwasher room, floor, wall, and ceiling. Observed floor in back dry storage in small room with food debris behind shelving. Observed ceiling damage in cage room, water damage. Observed floor by cook station pitting, small holes in flooring. Observed roll up door needing a new gasket. |
| 17D |
adequate ventilation and lighting; designated areas used 511-6-1.07(2)(i) - light bulbs, protective shielding (c) | 1 | Observed cage covers/light shields missing in walk in cooler units. |
| 18 |
insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c) Repeat | 3 | Observed roach activity at bakery room, and at tray making station. |
June 27, 2025 — Score 85
Routine · Inspector: Lance Dasher
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2A |
food stored covered 511-6-1.04(4)(c)1(iv) - packaged & unpackaged food, food stored covered(c) Corrected | 4 | Observed open of RTE deli meat uncovered in walk in cooler. Discarded. |
| 11D |
thermometers provided and accurate 511-6-1.05(2)(x) - tmd, located in refrigerators/ hot holding (pf, c) | 3 | Observed walk in cooler(s) with thermometers missing, move thermometers that are present towards door of units. |
| 15A |
food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed, and used 511-6-1.05(1)(a) - materials, general requirements (p, c) | 1 | Observed raw wood from under shelving at four compartment sink station, remove. |
| 16B |
plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) | 2 | Observed faucet heads missing in serve line, reinstall. Install pluming under sinks that are missing in tray wash room and prep room. |
| 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 | Observed walk in freezer floors that need cleaning, debris/trash. Observed inside warehouse roll up door is damaged and needs replacing, large gap at bottom. The storage area has issues with gaps at the floor/way juncture, allowing mice and roaches entry. Seal. |
| 18 |
insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c) Repeat | 3 | Observed flies, roaches, and rodent droppings at areas in facility, manager has been shown hot spots. Increase vector control. |
January 19, 2024 — Score 82
Routine · Inspector: Lance Dasher
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2B |
proper eating, tasting, drinking, or tobacco use 511-6-1.03(5)(k)1&2 - eating, drinking, or using tobacco (c) Corrected | 4 | Observed drinks in kitchen not in a designated area away from prep and storage, in bakery, prep area, and serve line. |
| 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 sanitizer level in sink not detectable, water dropped and refilled. |
| 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 | Observed tilt skillet with wood used to provide support, remove (repeat). Observed latch to dairy cooler door broken, repair. |
| 16B |
plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) Repeat | 2 | Observed faucet leaks at 4 compartment sink, prep sinks, tray machine room rinse station, utility room faucet. |
| 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 | Observed ceiling damage in areas of kitchen, pack out room, washing area, side door entrance. Bakery room has wall damage due to metal pans. |
| 18 |
insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c) | 3 | Observed rodent activity in side warehouse and at caged equipment/spices. Roach activity in tray machine room and serving line by side entrance. |
June 29, 2023 — Score 84
Routine · Inspector: Lance Dasher
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2D |
adequate handwashing facilities supplied & accessible 511-6-1.06(2)(o) - using a handwashing sink- operation & maintenance (pf) | 4 | Observed hand wash station with no faucet head, and no soap. |
| 12A |
contamination prevented during food preparation, storage, display 511-6-1.04(4)(z) - miscellaneous sources of contamination (c) Corrected | 3 | Observed plastic food trays and jug of water in bottom of ice maker, removed, clean unit. |
| 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 | Observed steam and condensation buildup in tray washing room. Areas under machine and shelving has black mildew on surfaces. Observed pieces of wood used to level tilting skillets, remove and use metal or plastic to elevate. |
| 16B |
plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) | 2 | Observed sinks at dishwashing area with leaks on faucets and drain pipes. Floor drain was clogged, but was cleared. Observed sinks that could not shut off water flow in tray serving areas. |
| 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 | Observed rollup door damaged at small warehouse, spice storage room needs ventilation and continue painting. Ceiling damage observed in pack out room, serve line, and dishwashing area. |
| 18 |
insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c) | 3 | Observed flies in kitchen, need to keep exterior hallway for garbage disposal closed as much as possible, plastic curtain not be used properly (tied back). Rodent activity is at a better level. |
Recent reports (62)
Source-attributed observations and allegations from news coverage and reports submitted to GPS. Each entry credits its source.
- ALLEGATION According to The Georgia Virtue Published: Jun 22, 2026Adams and Moore facilitated a criminal enterprise within the prison that led to Kicklighter's murder.
"The lawsuit, filed by the family of Bobby C. Kicklighter, alleges that Adams and Moore facilitated a criminal enterprise operating from within the prison, which led to Kicklighter's murder in a botched murder-for-hire scheme in 2021."
Read source → - ALLEGATION According to The Georgia Virtue Published: Jun 22, 2026Adams and Moore facilitated a criminal enterprise within the prison that led to Kicklighter's murder.
"The lawsuit, filed by the family of Bobby C. Kicklighter, alleges that Adams and Moore facilitated a criminal enterprise operating from within the prison, which led to Kicklighter's murder in a botched murder-for-hire scheme in 2021."
Read source → - ALLEGATION According to WTOC Published: May 1, 2025A former employee sexually assaulted a corrections employee.
"A former employee of Smith State Prison in Georgia has been charged with sexual assault involving a corrections employee."
Read source → - ALLEGATION According to The Georgia Virtue Published: May 13, 2026Adams allegedly participated in a RICO organization (Yves Saint Laurent Squad) and accepted currency bribes through a pattern of racketeering associated with the enterprise run by inmate Nathan Weekes.
"They also contended that Adams participated in a RICO organization, being Yves Saint Laurent Squad run by then-Smith State Prison inmate Nathan Weekes, and he committed the offenses of Bribery and False Statements and Writings in furtherance of the RICO organization. Adams, they said, was bribed when he accepted currency through a pattern of racketeering associated with the RICO enterprise."
Read source → - ALLEGATION According to The Georgia Virtue Published: May 13, 2026Agents alleged that Adams provided false statements in an April 13, 2022 interview when he stated he had not been solicited or bribed by a GDC inmate in the past 10 years.
"Agents alleged that Adams provided false statements in an April 13, 2022 interview when he stated he has not been solicited or bribed by a Georgia Department of Corrections inmate in the past 10 years."
Read source →
Timeline (137)
Source Articles (40)
Former leadership
Officials who previously held leadership roles at this facility.
| Role | Name | Tenure | Deaths this facility / career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warden (facility lead) | Adams, Brian | 2019-10-01 → 2023-02-08 | 17 / 17 |
| WARDEN 3 (facility lead) | Beasley, Jacob | 2023-11-22 → 2024-12-31 | 6 / 42 |
| CORRECTIONAL SUPERINTENDENT (facility lead) | Todd, Curtis J | 2025-01-01 → 2025-01-31 | — / 1 |
| Warden (facility lead) | Mims, Charles | 2026-07-05 → present | — / — |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | McFarlane, Andrew M | 2019-01-01 → 2022-12-31 | 17 / 53 |
| Deputy Warden of Security (facility deputy) | Henderson, Marcus | 2019-01-01 → 2023-01-01 | 17 / 17 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Foulks, Rodney | 2023-11-22 → 2025-12-31 | 7 / 7 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | COX, Eric | 2021-01-01 → 2021-12-31 | 7 / 51 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Epperson, Alicia | 2022-01-01 → 2022-12-31 | 5 / 5 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Brown, Vashti J | 2019-01-01 → 2020-12-31 | 5 / 12 |
| DEPUTY WARDEN (facility deputy) | Smith, Tarmarshe A | 2016-01-01 → 2017-12-31 | — / 36 |
| Clinical Chaplain (specialty lead) | Hill, Bernard | 2023-11-22 → 2026-08-27 | — / — |
Location
Aerial View
Architecture documents what the building was designed to hold. See the system-wide receipts at gps.press/warehouse.