VALDOSTA —
Valdosta State Prison’s warden has been reassigned, one of more than a dozen in a statewide shakeup of the prison system.
VSP’s Warden William Danforth was named the new warden of Telfair State Prison in Helena, Ga., effective Aug. 1, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. Danforth has been warden at Valdosta State since 2008, but his last two years have been marred by repeated outbreaks of violence among inmates. In the most recent incident, more than a dozen inmates were transported to South Georgia Medical Center for treatment following a gang fight in July.
Cedric Taylor is replacing Danforth. Taylor was most recently the warden at Autry State Prison in Pelham, and has more than 20 years of experience with the GDOC, including serving as an instructor in Forsyth for the Special Operations Unit for several years. He took over as warden on Aug. 1.
The shakeups affect more than 20 percent of the state prisons and involve transfers of eight wardens around the state. Questions sent Tuesday to the Georgia Department of Corrections regarding the number of transfers and possible reasons for the moves were not answered.
Among the other wardens transferred is a former Valdosta State Prison warden, who moved to Ware State Prison in 2008 when Danforth took over. Darrell Hart has been moved to Wilcox State Prison in Abbeville. Hart has also been the subject of previous Times’ articles for unrest, fights and weapons at Ware State in the last two years.
Hart and Robert Toole, the warden at Wilcox, officially changed places July 1, as Toole took over as warden for Hart at Ware State.
In other moves:
• Douglas Williams is the new warden at Dodge State Prison in Chester. He was a deputy warden at Rogers State previously.
• Marty Allen has been named warden at Autry State Prison in Pelham. He was previously the warden at Dodge State Prison.
• Scott Crickmar is the new warden at Walker State Prison in Rock Springs. He was a deputy warden at Phillips State Prison.
• Ahmed Holt was named warden at Central State Prison in Macon. He previously served as a deputy warden at Rutledge State Prison and was most recently the deputy director of Audits and Compliance at Tift College.
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Valdosta State Prison’s warden has been reassigned, one of more than a dozen in a statewide shakeup of the prison system.
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Valdosta State Prison warden reassigned
One of many in statewide shakeup
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