Mims, Charles Michael

Tenure Summary

While Mims held the role of Deputy Warden at Valdosta and Central State Prisons, a combined 14 deaths were recorded. During his time as Deputy Warden and later Warden at Wilcox State Prison, 18 deaths occurred, and since becoming Warden at Smith State Prison, 3 deaths have been recorded. Several lawsuits have been filed naming Mims as a defendant, including one directly challenging conditions during his wardenship.

What happened on their watch

Valdosta State Prison (Deputy Warden, 2020): During Mims’s single year as Deputy Warden, GPS records show eight deaths occurred at the facility. At least three of these were homicides, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation: Orvonta Casmir Tillman died from multiple sharp force trauma; Bobby Lane Carpenter died from a stab wound to the chest; and Prince Blige died from a stab wound to the torso. A broader allegation reported by the AJC claims an officer placed an inmate, Hakeem Olajuwon Williams, in a cell while handcuffed, where he was attacked by a cellmate. Intel reports also detail allegations from Yahoo.com that, around this period, inmates at Valdosta directed a drug trafficking network tied to Mexican cartels using contraband cellphones, and that at least six correctional officers aided an inmate in smuggling drug-soaked paper, pills, and tobacco.

Central State Prison (Deputy Warden, 2021): GPS records attribute six deaths to Central State Prison during Mims’s tenure as Deputy Warden. One of them, Joshua Carl Lester, died from a stab wound to the chest, according to the AJC’s homicide investigation. The AJC’s reporting on DOJ findings notes that other homicides at the facility, such as the stabbing death of Hollis Alan Bryant, drew federal scrutiny.

Wilcox State Prison (Deputy Warden, 2022; Warden, 2023-2024): Mims served as Deputy Warden in 2022 and was promoted to Warden in 2023 and 2024. The total deaths attributed to the facility during this combined tenure is 18. In 2022 while he was Deputy Warden, AJC records show a homicide: James Forest Williams died from blunt and sharp force injuries. As Warden, homicides continued. In July 2024, Arthur Jerome Williams was killed in an incident the AJC reports involved two inmates, and in August 2024, Mariol Juante Rawls was killed in an incident involving nine offenders and a homemade weapon. A public Facebook post referenced in GPS intel records alleged that under the facility’s leadership, inmate movement was locked down for staff gatherings, and basic supplies like toothbrushes and linens were not issued for roughly a year.

Smith State Prison (Warden, 2025-present): Since becoming Warden in January 2025, three deaths have been recorded at Smith State Prison. Per GPS records, John Jacobs, 77, died in a hospital in October 2025 from natural causes related to sepsis and multiorgan failure. In February 2026, 24-year-old Nicholas Shafer died; a user report cited in GPS notes states he had been beaten, his hands and feet were tied, and an object was stuffed in his mouth. Dwayne Eric Albritton, 65, died in March 2026. A system-wide GDC lockdown was triggered by a gang-related altercation at the prison in April 2026. Multiple news reports and a Tattnall County grand jury indictment describe a sprawling contraband and racketeering scheme operated at Smith State Prison prior to Mims’s arrival, involving his predecessor, though Mims inherited a facility the AJC characterized as one of the most understaffed and violent in the state, with about two-thirds of correctional officer positions unfilled.

Litigation

Sources

Synthesized by GPS Intelligence System on Jun 7, 2026 from positions, attributed deaths, lawsuits, intel reports, and news mentions in the public corpus. The supporting data tables follow below.