Brian Dennis Adams

After more than three years, the case against former Smith State Prison warden Brian Dennis Adams was finally presented to a Tattnall County Grand Jury.

On Tuesday, Grand Jurors returned six true bills against Adams including one count of Violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), one count of Making a False Statement, two counts of Tampering With Evidence; and two counts of Violation of Oath by Public Officer. All are felonies.

The indictment alleges that Adams accepted money to move inmate Nathan Weeks out of solitary confinement, thus constituting the RICO charge. He is also believed to have used money to commit other unlawful activities including money laundering which violated his sworn duties as a warden.

In addition, Grand jurors believe that Adams tampered with evidence by concealing prison shanks by burying them in the backyard of the warden’s house. Along with the buried shanks, telecommunication devices and cell phones were also found buried in his backyard.

Further, Adams is believed to have committed making false statements to a Special Agency during the investigation regarding the Yves Saint Laurent Squad, a gang with operations within the walls of the prison. Adams allegedly told the Special Agent that he had not been solicited to bring contraband into the prison for over 10 years and that he did not accept bribes to do so. Both statements were proven to be untrue.

Adams was terminated from Smith State Prison in Glennville by the Georgia Department of Corrections and arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in February 2023 following a GBI investigation regarding alleged corruption that began in May 2022.

Adams began his career with the Georgia Department of Corrections in 1997 as a Correctional Officer, and appointed Warden of Smith State Prison in 2019.