COASTAL STATE PRISON
Facility Information
- Original Design Capacity
- 420 (at 394% capacity)
- Bed Capacity
- 1,836 beds
- Current Population
- 1,654
- Active Lifers
- 133 (8.0% of population) · Oct 2026 GDC report
- Life Without Parole
- 4 (0.2%)
What the courts held in Brown v. Plata, and how Georgia compares →
- Address
- 200 Gulfstream Road, Port Wentworth, GA 31408
- Phone
- (912) 965-6303
- Fax
- (912) 966-6799
- Mailing Address
- P.O. Box 7150, Port Wentworth, GA 31408
- County
- Chatham County
- Opened
- 1981
- Operator
- GDC (Georgia Dept. of Corrections)
Security Classification
Last updated: September 23, 2026
172 of the 1,747 people held here are classified Close security (9.8%), as of September 23, 2026.
| Security level | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Close | 172 | 9.8% |
| Medium | 1,317 | 75.4% |
| Minimum | 138 | 7.9% |
| High | 18 | 1.0% |
| Standard | 90 | 5.2% |
| Warrant | 1 | 0.1% |
| Not recorded | 11 | 0.6% |
| Total | 1,747 |
Earlier count (undated table, produced October 22, 2025): 180 of 1,627 Close (11.1%).
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.
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Leadership & Accountability (as of 2026 records)
Officials currently holding positional authority at this facility, with deaths attributed to GPS-tracked records during their leadership tenure. Inclusion reflects role-based accountability, not legal findings of personal culpability. Death counts shown as facility / career.
| Role | Name | Since | Deaths this facility / career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warden (facility lead) | Stokes, David | 2026-06-01 | 5 / 18 |
| Deputy Warden of Care and Treatment (facility deputy) | Kaigler, Briana | 2022-01-01 | 82 / 82 |
| Deputy Warden of Security (facility deputy) | Finch, Karen Ruth | 2024-08-01 | 54 / 63 |
| Deputy Warden of Administration (facility deputy) | Williams, Colette | 2026-07-16 | 2 / 2 |
About
Last updated October 25, 2026.(DS)
Coastal State Prison: Deaths, Settlements, and the Gap Between Inspection Scores and the Tray
Coastal State Prison sits near Port Wentworth in Chatham County, a medium-security men's facility that opened in 1981 and was renovated in 1999. Its 12 housing units — six cellblocks mixing two-man and four-man cells, four open-bay dormitories, one unit for Faith & Character and incentive-program participants, a 74-bed segregation unit, and a small infirmary — were built for 420 people. The facility is now rated for 1,836 and holds 1,654, about 90 percent of rated capacity but nearly four times its original design. Coastal also runs an abbreviated diagnostic intake unit and maintains a tactical squad, making it a hub for both housing and system-wide security operations.
That physical and operational profile is the footing for everything below: a death registry that has logged 135 deaths since January 2020, a chain of lawsuits and state liability payouts tied to killings inside the facility, worker and family accounts of a human rights crisis, and a food-safety record that swung from a failing-grade 70 to a 98 within a single quarter — a contradiction GPS treats as the analytical center of its kitchen investigations.
A Death Registry That Runs to 135 Since 2020
GPS's mortality registry records 135 deaths at Coastal State Prison since January 1, 2020 — a figure GPS treats as a floor, because GDC reports deaths roughly two months late. Of those, 70 carry a cause of Unknown/Pending, 51 are coded Natural/Medical, six Homicide, three Suicide, three Other, and two Accident. The full list is maintained at GPS's facility death registry.
The most recent entries show the range. Sheldon Leroy Burns died August 30, 2026, at Coastal State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical. Phillip Alexander George, 66, died July 16, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, with the cause listed as Unknown/Pending. Corey Marcel Mitchell, 50, died July 15, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending. Bobby Clinton Biggs, 77, died June 25, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending. Ronald Tyrone Waller, 57, died June 10, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending. Rene Alvarado Salazar, 38, died April 19, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending. Mark Jr Young, 75, died April 17, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending. Terry Kendall, 67, died February 27, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, with the cause listed as Unknown/Pending. Stanley Brown, 61, died February 27, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, with the cause listed as Unknown/Pending.
Two of those February deaths are coded differently. Anteveis Brown, 49, died February 26, 2026, at Coastal State Prison; GPS's registry lists the cause as Homicide. Aiden Snapp, 21, died the same day, February 26, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, also listed as Homicide. Richard Parks, 62, died February 21, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending. Malik Ortiz, 29, died February 12, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending. Dejarvis Walker, 25, died February 9, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending. Michael Garcia, 45, died February 1, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending. Thomas Lee Garrison, 78, died January 26, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending. Deandre Martez Walker, 37, died January 22, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending. Jabe Clark, 32, died January 17, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending. Kevin Lloyd Strickland, 52, died January 13, 2026, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending.
The 2025 entries close out the list: James Dion Gilmore, 46, died December 26, 2025, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending; Thomas Jacob Johnson, 57, died December 23, 2025, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending; Jeffrey Brandon Deaton died December 20, 2025, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending; Nelson Nmn Williams, 54, died December 4, 2025, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending; James Joseph Reinke, 66, died November 29, 2025, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending; and Thomas Floyd East, 71, died November 18, 2025, at Coastal State Prison, cause Unknown/Pending.
The Unknown/Pending designation is itself a finding: for the majority of the people who have died at Coastal since 2020, GPS does not yet know the cause. WTOC reported in February 2026 that a Coastal inmate died on a Sunday, with GDC confirming the death but providing no details on the person or cause; the same outlet confirmed a second death within one week, and GDC records later reflected two inmates dying on the same day at the facility. Nationally, GPS has independently tracked 1,927 deaths in GDC custody since 2020.
Killings, Broken Locks, and the State's Settlement Ledger
The homicides at Coastal are documented in both news reporting and the state's own liability payouts. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Kion E. Parks, 31, died September 14, 2021, from stab wounds; an incident report showed five other prisoners involved, and a lawsuit alleges five inmates stabbed Parks to death. The AJC also reported that Rufus Ramon Lee, 27, died December 14, 2021, from a stab wound to the chest, with four other prisoners involved and four inmates indicted — and that a lawsuit filed by Lee's mother alleges the lock on his cell didn't work, allowing assailants from other cells and dorms to reach and kill him.
The pattern continued. The AJC reported that Salomon Andres Ramirez, 43, died October 20, 2023, in what GDC classified as an apparent homicide, with no cause of death stated and no death certificate available. Ryan Chase Archer, 25, died December 13, 2023, from a stab wound to the chest after a fight with other prisoners; he was due to be released in 2024. Raymond Littles, 49, died April 16, 2024, in an incident classified as a homicide, with another prisoner disciplined.
Georgia's open-records settlement ledger, obtained from DOAS Risk Management, shows the state has paid out repeatedly for Coastal. A $600,000 liability payout is tied to Dennis Carpenter (2022), linked to a documented death record. A $200,000 payout is tied to Joel Greene (2019), $115,000 to Milton Ross (2011), $50,000 to Cager Maleeah (2016), and $8,000 to Ronald Ray Agan (2023).
The broken-lock allegation in Lee's suit connects to a systemwide finding GPS has documented: most GDC facilities are 30 to 40-plus years old, with deferred maintenance producing broken cell-door locks (a 2012 Hays audit found roughly 42 percent non-functional, and the 2024 Guidehouse assessment confirmed the pattern), inoperative surveillance and fire-alarm systems, mold and water failures, and pest infestations. GPS treats infrastructure collapse as a force multiplier for the violence, classification, and mortality crises documented at the facility level.
A Human Rights Crisis, Reported From Inside and Out
In February 2026, WTOC reported that workers and inmates at Coastal State Prison allege a human rights crisis is occurring there — coverage GPS republished. The accounts described crumbling infrastructure and unsanitary conditions including black mold throughout housing units, rat and mice infestations, and frequent air conditioning and heating failures. Staff were alleged to withhold food as punishment, including not waking sleeping inmates for meal calls and then denying them food. Some correctional officers were alleged to brutally beat inmates regularly, with one employee reporting hearing screams during their walk to work caused by someone being beaten. Inmates were described as subjected to lockdowns lasting seven to ten days without shower access, and the DOJ report criticized Georgia prisons including Coastal for overusing lockdowns and isolation, particularly on victims of sexual abuse.
WTOC also reported that GDC records show no correctional officers were disciplined for violence against inmates over a six-month period in 2025, despite employees saying such violence is a common occurrence. In the same period, a federal judge in Georgia's Middle District scolded GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver for "failure to comply with court orders" and asked whether the GDC "deems itself above the law."
The lockdowns carry a direct programmatic cost. WTOC reported that lockdowns at Coastal prevent inmates from attending classes and programs needed to earn Performance Incentive Credits for early parole eligibility — a particular sting at a facility whose own housing plan includes a unit dedicated to Faith & Character and incentive-program participants.
GPS records show the same themes recurring at scale over the past 12 months: 11 family-safety-concern signals across five months, 11 staff-misconduct allegations, 10 sanitation-failure signals, eight due-process allegations, seven assault-by-inmate signals, seven medical-neglect signals, and five death-in-custody reports. GPS has also received accounts of use of force and of an in-custody death at Coastal. External complaints in that window were filed to the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the Georgia Attorney General's office, and federal court.
A separate thread runs through the facility's medical care. GPS has received recurring reports of medication being abruptly discontinued, of chronic conditions being declared resolved, and of medical staff unavailable on weekends — accounts that sit alongside the registry's 51 Natural/Medical deaths and its 70 unresolved causes.
The Kitchen: A 70, Then a 98
The Georgia Department of Public Health inspected Coastal's kitchen on April 23, 2026, and issued a score of 70 — a Grade C — citing 11 violations. The Georgia Virtue reported the detail: inspectors found live flies and roaches in the kitchen and a dead mouse floating in backed-up mop water in the mess hall dishpit, a repeat violation; mold-like growth on ceiling tiles throughout the entire kitchen area, along with peeling and missing ceiling tiles, also a repeat; buildup of a mildew-like substance inside the ice machine and no sanitizer in the three-compartment sink while inmates were actively washing dishes, another repeat; fish at 122°F and chicken at 98°F sitting on the counter, both below the required 135°F hot-holding temperature; exit doors with large gaps underneath and damage allowing entry of insects and rodents; and multiple plumbing failures including a leaking pipe, a sink where hot water could not be turned on or off, a loose spigot, and a backed-up mop sink. The person in charge, inspectors wrote, failed to ensure safe food-handling practices were in use. The facility was given until May 3 to correct the issues.
WTOC reported that Coastal had been on a steady decline in health scores since at least February 2025 — 87 that month, 80 in October, then 70 in April. Then, on July 27, 2026, DPH scored the same kitchen 98, Grade A, with a single violation for warewashing facilities and test strips.
That swing is the point. GPS has documented a systemic pattern of food-service sanitation failure across GDC kitchens that DPH inspection scores systematically fail to capture: tray-sanitizing dishwashers broken for sustained periods, sustained roach and rodent infestation, and meals served on visibly contaminated trays. The pattern is corroborated at Coastal specifically by a resident's account, and by The Marshall Project's May 16, 2026 investigation of Georgia prison food, which independently reported rats in kitchens, insects in food, moldy trays, and visible malnutrition across Georgia facilities. The scores miss it because inspections are scheduled walkthroughs that do not assess equipment under load. High DPH scores at GDC facilities coexist with sustained witness reports of equipment failure and food contamination; the contradiction is the analytical center of GPS's investigation "Dunked, Stacked, and Served."
The economics underneath are stark. 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 state spends approximately 14 times more on medical care for incarcerated people ($432 million) than on their food. WTOC separately obtained Coastal maintenance records from May to November 2025 showing over $5,000 spent on pest control; GDC said it had no records related to mold remediation.
Staffing, Gangs, and a System Under Strain
The conditions at Coastal sit inside a systemwide staffing collapse GPS has documented. Officer vacancies in Georgia's prisons have run between 49.3 and 60 percent systemwide for multiple years, against a national standard of no more than 10 percent; at Valdosta State Prison the rate reached 80 percent by April 2024. The hiring pipeline cannot close the gap — acceptance under 15 percent, with 82.7 percent of new hires leaving in their first year — and Georgia ranks last of 50 states for correctional-officer pay. The October 2024 DOJ findings letter concluded that "the leadership of the Georgia Department of Corrections has lost control of its facilities" and faulted GDC for placing "too much blame on gangs and insufficient emphasis on understaffing." Roughly 31 percent of the system's ~49,000 incarcerated population are validated members of 315 different security threat groups, more than double the national average.
The 2024 DOJ investigation found Georgia prisons, including Coastal State, failing to protect inmates from violence, neglect, and unconstitutional conditions, concluding GDC violates the Eighth Amendment. GPS records five staffing-shortage signals at Coastal in the past two months alone, at critical and high severity.
The wider system's volatility is not abstract. At Washington State Prison, roughly 150 miles away, a gang-war riot on January 11, 2026 killed three men at the scene — Teddy Dewayne Jackson, 27; Ahmod Dewayne Hatcher, 23; and Jimmy Lee Trammell, 42, who was days from release — and a fourth, Silas Rodrigioeuz Westbrook, 42, died January 17 after his release from the hospital. Dajhmere Ladaveon Hall, 30, had been found dead at Washington two days before the riot. The facility was placed on continuous lockdown and never reopened; 12 inmates were later charged with felony murder and related offenses. Those deaths belong to Washington, not Coastal — but they are the context in which Coastal's own February 2026 homicide pair, Anteveis Brown and Aiden Snapp, occurred.
Leadership, Visitation, and the Family at the Wall Phone
David Stokes, previously warden at Central State Prison, was reassigned to warden at Coastal State Prison effective June 1, 2026, Commissioner Tyrone Oliver announced. He leads a deputy team of Briana Kaigler (Care and Treatment), Karen Ruth Finch (Security), and Colette Williams (Administration).
For families, the facility's lockdown culture produces its own record. An anonymous member of the Ga. Prisons Exposed Facebook group wrote on October 12, 2026, that a scheduled WellCare visit at Coastal was canceled because "the whole dorm is on lockdown," that the incarcerated person was then told in the visitation room that the family simply hadn't shown up, and that she had not heard from him since. GPS records 11 family-safety-concern signals at Coastal over the past 12 months, alongside five media-outreach attempts.
Sources
This analysis draws on reporting from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WTOC, WALB, The Georgia Virtue, and The Marshall Project; Georgia Department of Public Health food-safety inspection records; the Georgia Department of Administrative Services Risk Management settlement ledger obtained through open records; federal court filings and the October 2024 U.S. Department of Justice findings letter; GDC personnel and mortality records; a public Facebook post from the Ga. Prisons Exposed group; and inmate, family, and worker accounts collected by GPS staff.
Mortality Statistics
144 deaths documented at this facility from 2020 to present.
Deaths by Year
- 2026: 27
- 2025: 27
- 2024: 24
- 2023: 15
- 2022: 15
- 2021: 19
- 2020: 17
County Public Health Department
Food service and sanitation at COASTAL STATE PRISON fall under the jurisdiction of the Chatham 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
- Environmental Health Director
- Address
-
P.O. Box 14257
Savannah, GA 31406 - Phone
- (912) 356-2160
- chatham.eh@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.
October 30, 2026
RE: Request for Unannounced Public Health Inspection of Food Service Operations at COASTAL STATE PRISON
Dear County Environmental Health Director,
I am writing to respectfully request that your office conduct a thorough, unannounced inspection of food service and sanitation practices at COASTAL STATE PRISON, located in Chatham 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 27, 2026 | 98 | Routine | |
| Apr 23, 2026 | 70 | Routine | |
| Oct 16, 2025 | 80 | Routine | |
| Feb 27, 2025 | 87 | Routine | |
| Oct 25, 2023 | 84 | Routine |
July 27, 2026 — Score 98
Routine · Inspector: Caisha Knight
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15B |
warewashing facilities: installed, maintained, used; test strips 511-6-1.05(3)(h),(i),(j) - temperature measuring device, manual warewashing; sanitizing solutions, testing device (pf) Repeat | 1 | Observed that facility did not have chemical test kit when using chemical sanitizer (quat) at three-compartment sink. Observed that facility did not have high heat testing method available for high heat dishwasher in main kitchen.RCA: Facility shall obtain test strips for quaternary ammonium chemical sanitizer testing and non-reversible method of testing high heat sanitization. |
April 23, 2026 — Score 70
Routine · Inspector: Caisha Knight
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2A |
pic present, demonstrates knowledge, performs duties 511-6-1.03(2)(a)-(n)(p),(q) - responsibility of pic (pf) | 4 | Observed that the person in charge failed in the responsibilities of ensuring that safe food handling practices were in use as evidenced by hot holding temperatures, food protected from outside contamination and sanitized food contact surfaces.RCA: PIC and ServSafe manager is responsible to ensure that food safety practices and are being followed. |
| 2A |
food stored covered 511-6-1.04(4)(c)1(iv) - packaged & unpackaged food, food stored covered(c) | 4 | Observed bags of spices left open. Observed margarine in walk-in cooler not wrapped. Observed loose bread in kitchen not tightly wrapped to prevent contamination.RCA: Food packages shall be in good condition and protect the integrity of the contents so that the food is not exposed to adulteration or potential contaminants. |
| 2B |
food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized 511-6-1.05(7)(b) - food contact surfaces and utensils - cleaning frequency (p, c) Repeat | 4 | Observed buildup of mildew-like substance in the interior of ice machine. No sanitizer in 3-compartment sink being used as inmates are actively washing dishes.RCA: PIC shall burn ice, wash inside machine and sanitize before refilling ice. Told PIC to get bleach or QAC as a sanitize in order properly sanitize the dishes. |
| 1B |
proper hot holding temperatures 511-6-1.04(6)(f) - time/temperature control for safety; hot holding (p) | 9 | Observed fish (122F) and chicken(98F)to be sitting on counter and it was below 135F.RCA: Told PIC that call hot holding items must be 135F or above while hot holding as well as sitting inside warmer instead of sitting on the counter. |
| 15A |
food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed, and used 511-6-1.05(6)(a) - good repair & proper adjustment (c) | 1 | Observed damaged wall in walk-in cooler. Observed gaskets/seals on cold holding unit in poor repair with mildew visible.RCA: Equipment shall be maintained in a state of repair |
| 15B |
warewashing facilities: installed, maintained, used; test strips 511-6-1.05(6)(p) - warewashing equipment, determining chemical sanitizer concentration (pf) Repeat | 1 | Observed that facility did not have chemical test kit when using chemical sanitizer (quat) at three-compartment sink. Observed that facility did not have high heat testing method available for high heat dishwasher in main kitchen.RCA: Facility shall obtain test strips for quaternary ammonium chemical sanitizer testing and non-reversible method of testing high heat sanitization. |
| 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 | Observed food debris on racks where trays were stored. Observed build up on gaskets of walk-in coolers. Mildew on gaskets and walk-in cooler racks.RCA: Nonfood-contact surfaces of equipment shall be cleaned at a frequency necessary to preclude accumulation of soil residues. |
| 16B |
plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) Repeat | 2 | Observed a 3 compartment-sink with a leaking pipe. Observed a 2-compartment sink in which the hot water was unable to turn on or off. Observed a handwashing sink in mess hall with a loose spigot. Observed a back-up mop sink in the mess hall dishpit.RCA: A plumbing system shall be repaired according to law; and 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 | Observed mold-like growth on ceiling tiles in entire kitchen area. Observed peeling ceiling tiles in dish area. Observed rust and corrosion on ceiling tiles sporadically in entire kitchen area. Missing ceiling tiles/ hole in ceiling in mess hall area.RCA: All physical facilities shall be maintained in good repair. The physical facilities shall be cleaned as often as necessary to keep them clean and by methods that prevent contamination of food products. |
| 18 |
insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c) Repeat | 3 | Observed live flies and roaches in kitchen. Observed dead mouse floating in backed-up mop water in mess hall dishpit.RCA: Facility shall increase treatment schedules from licensed pest control operators. |
| 18 |
insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(2)(m) - outer openings protected (c) | 3 | Observed exit door with a large gap under. Observed other exit door damaged with gaps visible.RCA: Outer openings of a food service establishment shall be protected against the entry of insects and rodents by: Solid, self-closing, tight-fitting doors. |
October 16, 2025 — Score 80
Routine · Inspector: Andrea Carrasco
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1C |
food in good condition, safe, and unadulterated 511-6-1.04(1) - safe, unadulterated and honestly presented (p) Corrected | 9 | Observed 3 boxes of whole cucumbers from September that were molded and actively spoiling and dripping onto lower stored boxes of food.COS CA: PIC had boxes of cucumbers discarded. |
| 2B |
food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized 511-6-1.05(7)(a)1 - equipment, food-contact surfaces,& utensils (pf) | 4 | Observed buildup of mildew-like substance in the interior of ice machine.RCA: PIC shall burn ice, wash inside machine and sanitize before refilling ice. |
| 15B |
warewashing facilities: installed, maintained, used; test strips 511-6-1.05(3)(h),(i),(j) - temperature measuring device, manual warewashing; sanitizing solutions, testing device (pf) | 1 | Observed that facility did not have chemical test kit when using chemical sanitizer (quat) at three-compartment sink.RCA: Facility shall obtain test strips for quaternary ammonium chemical sanitizer testing. |
| 15C |
nonfood-contact surfaces clean 511-6-1.05(7)(d) - nonfood-contact surfaces (c) | 1 | Observed food debris on racks where trays were stored. Observed build up on gaskets of walk-in coolers.RCA: Nonfood-contact surfaces of equipment shall be cleaned at a frequency necessary to preclude accumulation of soil residues. |
| 16B |
plumbing installed; proper backflow devices 511-6-1.06(2)(r) - system maintained in good repair (p, c) | 2 | Observed a handwashing sink with a leaking pipe. Observed a 3 compartment-sink with a leaking pipe. Observed a 2-compartment sink in which the hot water was unable to turn off. Observed a handwashing sink in bakery area with loose spigot.RCA: A plumbing system shall be repaired according to law; and 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 | Observed mold-like growth on ceiling tiles in entire kitchen area. Observed peeling ceiling tiles in dish area. Observed rust and corrosion on ceiling tiles sporadically in entire kitchen area.RCA: All physical facilities shall be maintained in good repair. The physical facilities shall be cleaned as often as necessary to keep them clean and by methods that prevent contamination of food products. |
| 18 |
insects, rodents, and animals not present 511-6-1.07(5)(k) - controlling pests (pf, c) | 3 | Observed live flies and roaches in kitchen.RCA: Facility shall increase treatment schedules from licensed pest control operators. |
February 27, 2025 — Score 87
Routine · Inspector: Andrea Carrasco
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1C |
proper cooling time and temperature 511-6-1.04(6)(d) - cooling (p) Corrected | 9 | Observed spaghetti that had been prepared 2/25 that had an internal temperature of 44F. PIC stated that spaghetti had been kept in walk-in cooler since preparation date.COS CA: PIC discarded spaghetti. Cooked Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food (list food item here) not cooled from 135F to 41F within 6 hours. |
| 12A |
contamination prevented during food preparation, storage, display 511-6-1.04(4)(q) - food storage (c) | 3 | Observed prepared food on floor, observed bag of flour on floor.COS CA: PIC moved food off of floor. food shall be protected from contamination by storing the food In a clean, dry location; Where it is not exposed to splash, dust, or other contamination; and At least 6 inches (15 cm) above the floor. |
| 17D |
adequate ventilation and lighting; designated areas used 511-6-1.07(3)(f) - lighting intensity, adequate in food prep, storage & service areas (c) | 1 | Observed burnt out lights under hoods and within walk-in cooler.RCA: The light intensity shall be at least 10 foot candles (108 lux) at a distance of 30 inches (75 cm) above the floor, in walk-in refrigeration units and dry food storage areas and in other areas and rooms during periods of cleaning; At least 50 foot candles (540 lux) at a surface where a food service employee is working with food or working with utensils or equipment such as knives, slicers, grinders, or saws where employee safety is a factor. |
October 25, 2023 — Score 84
Routine · Inspector: Darby Clark
| Code | Violation | Pts | Inspector notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2D |
adequate handwashing facilities supplied & accessible 511-6-1.07(3)(b) - hand drying provision (pf) Corrected | 4 | Observed hand sink in the bakery room to not have paper towels.COS/CA: PIC placed paper towels at hand sink. Hand Drying Provision. Each handwashing sink or group of adjacent handwashing sinks shall be provided with: Individual, disposable towels. |
| 2D |
adequate handwashing facilities supplied & accessible 511-6-1.06(2)(o) - using a handwashing sink- operation & maintenance (pf) | 4 | Observed hand sink in the meat room and the bakery room to be used as a dump sink.RCA: A handwashing facility may not be used for purposes other than handwashing. |
| 1C |
food in good condition, safe, and unadulterated 511-6-1.04(3)(e) - package integrity (pf) | 9 | Observed multiple boxes containing apple juice and fruit in the walk in to have mold growing on the outside of the box.RCA: Food packages shall be in good condition and protect the integrity of the contents so that the food is not exposed to adulteration or potential contaminants. |
| 11C |
approved thawing methods used 511-6-1.04(6)(c) - thawing (c) Corrected | 3 | Observed chicken being dethawed in standing water.COS/CA: PIC turned on the water to continue dethawing the chicken. Time/temperature control for safety food shall be thawed: Completely submerged under running water: At a water temperature of 70°F (21°C) or below. |
Recent reports (27)
Source-attributed observations and allegations from news coverage and reports submitted to GPS. Each entry credits its source.
- ALLEGATION According to News.google.com Recorded by GPS: May 14, 2026Workers and inmates allege a human rights crisis is occurring at Coastal State Prison.
"Workers and inmates report human rights crisis at Coastal State Prison"
Read source → - ALLEGATION According to News.google.com Recorded by GPS: May 13, 2026Five inmates were indicted for committing a violent assault at Coastal State Prison.
"5 inmates indicted for violent assault at Coastal State Prison"
Read source → - ALLEGATION According to News.google.com Recorded by GPS: May 13, 2026A Coastal State Prison employee allegedly traded with inmates without the consent of the warden or superintendent.
"Coastal State Prison employee arrested, charged with trading with inmates without consent of warden or superintendent"
Read source → - ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 21, 2025A lawsuit alleges five inmates stabbed Kion E. Parks to death at Coastal State Prison.
"a lawsuit alleges five inmates stabbed Parks to death."
Read source → - ALLEGATION According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published: Jan 21, 2025A lawsuit by Rufus Ramon Lee's mother alleges that the lock on his cell didn't work, allowing assailants from other cells and dorms to reach and kill him.
"A lawsuit by Lee's mother alleges that the lock on his cell didn't work, allowing assailants from other cells and dorms to reach him."
Read source →
Timeline (52)
Source Articles (18)
Former leadership
Officials who previously held leadership roles at this facility.
| Role | Name | Tenure | Deaths this facility / career |
|---|---|---|---|
| WARDEN 2 (facility lead) | Glenn, Phillip | 2014-01-01 → 2025-12-31 | 94 / 94 |
| Warden (facility lead) | Pineiro, Aaron Thomas | 2022-01-01 → 2024-06-15 | 40 / 85 |
| Deputy Warden (facility deputy) | Johnson-Williams, Colette C | 2023-11-22 → 2026-08-27 | — / — |
| Chaplain (specialty lead) | Tompkins, Donald A | 2026-08-27 → 2026-08-27 | — / — |
| Clinical Chaplain (specialty lead) | Valcourt, Theodore P | 2023-11-22 → 2026-08-27 | — / — |
Location
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
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.