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Gibson, LEN Thomas
Status: active
Profile written July 12, 2026
This profile reflects positional accountability — this individual held the leadership roles shown during the dates shown, during which the listed deaths or lawsuits occurred. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding of personal culpability for any specific incident.
Tenure Summary
Gibson began with the Georgia Department of Corrections in a business operations role in 2015, according to GPS salary records. From 2016 through at least 2025 he served continuously as deputy warden at Valdosta State Prison, with annual pay increases documented each year. GPS death records show that 69 inmates died at Valdosta State Prison during the years Gibson held that deputy‑warden post; incident logs list him in that role on deaths as recently as July 2026, indicating his tenure may have extended beyond the last salary record. Gibson has been named as a defendant in two federal lawsuits, both terminated without recorded financial settlements.What happened on their watch
At Valdosta State Prison, the toll of deaths during Gibson’s watch was high and included numerous homicides. GPS records document 69 inmate deaths at the facility from 2016 through mid‑2026. The Atlanta Journal‑Constitution investigation identified multiple homicides with specific causes: Shane Griffith, 32, died of blunt‑force trauma in May 2024 after allegedly being beaten, kicked, burned, and dragged by 11 inmates over several hours without staff intervention; Melvin Towns, 37, was stabbed with homemade knives during a disruptive event in April 2024, days before his scheduled release; Ricky Harris, 39, suffered sharp‑force trauma to his face and neck from ink pens in February 2024; Rufus Lane, 55, was found dead by ligature strangulation in his cell in January 2024; and Quoesent Bostwick and DyLance Lampkin were each killed in separate homicides in July 2023. On Dec. 24, 2025, Je’Vion Benham, 21, was found strangled after lying dead for an estimated two days; the Lowndes County coroner called the delay “unfathomable” and said “Valdosta State Prison needs help” (per WTOC). Earlier, the AJC reported that Hakeem Williams, 27, was fatally stabbed by his cellmate in February 2022 after an officer placed him handcuffed in the cell with an unrestrained man — the officer later admitted lying, and a federal judge sanctioned GDC for destroying video evidence of the killing.The lethal violence unfolded amid severe institutional strain. The AJC found that as of April 2025, 80 percent of correctional‑officer positions at Valdosta were vacant, leaving the population virtually unsupervised. Multiple contraband operations were uncovered: In Operation Skyhawk (announced March 2024), officers were caught smuggling drug‑soaked paper, pills, and tobacco for inmate Kydetrius Thomas, while another inmate, Luis Ramirez, ran a methamphetamine‑and‑fentanyl network from inside the prison using contraband cellphones — authorities seized 35 kilograms of meth, 3½ kilograms of fentanyl, and $145,000. At least five Valdosta employees were arrested. Separately, advocates reported that gangs controlled the prison kitchen and extorted inmates for food, and that some prisoners were held in cages without toilet access. The facility’s warden, Ralph Shropshire, was terminated for “misconduct” in July 2024 (per AJC), though a replacement was not named until mid‑2026.
Litigation
- Daker v. Ward, Case No. 7:20‑cv‑00113, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, filed June 11, 2020, terminated November 3, 2021. No settlement recorded.
- Daker v. Oliver Filing Restriction Per 59 Order, Case No. 1:25‑cv‑03191, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, filed June 6, 2025, terminated March 30, 2026. No settlement recorded.
Sources
- GPS salary and incident records — death count, tenure timelines, facility attribution.
- Atlanta Journal‑Constitution — homicide investigation detailing causes of death for Griffith, Towns, Harris, Lane, Williams, and others; staffing‑vacancy report; contraband schemes and warden termination.
- WTOC — Coroner Fiveash’s statement on Je’Vion Benham’s two‑day undiscovered death.
- WALB — reports on homicides of William Springer, Brandon McGee, Sinjuan Harmon; family allegations of delayed response.
- Yahoo! News — indictment of Luis Ramirez’s prison‑based drug network.
- Federal court dockets (CourtListener) — Daker v. Ward and Daker v. Oliver case records.
- GDC press releases — Operation Skyhawk arrests and drone‑drop statistics.
- Advocate reports — alleged gang control of kitchen, caged housing without toilet access (April 2025).
Positions Held
| Title | Facility | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| DEPUTY WARDEN | VALDOSTA STATE PRISON | 2016-01-01 → present |
| BUSINESS OPERATIONS | 2015-01-01 → 2015-12-31 |
Lawsuits as defendant
| Case # | Court | Filed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:25-cv-03191 | GAND | 2025-06-06 | terminated |
| 7:20-cv-00113 | GAMD | 2020-06-11 | terminated |
Deaths attributed during tenure
69 people died at facilities under Gibson, LEN Thomas's leadership.
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