Corruption at Coastal State Prison in Chatham County Georgia
Multiple lawsuits have been filed against former warden Aaron Pineiro and could potentially be facing two more in the future.
Coastal State Prison is in Garden City, Georgia in Chatham County. On November 9, 2022, Georgia Transparency (GT) and the J-Town Press (JT) visited to document the prison for an upcoming story to be released to the public.
Upon entering the public parking lot documenting the prison from a public space, guards began to instruct GT & JT to leave and there is no recording. Former Warden Aaron Pineiro contacted GT and JT in the parking lot and informed them of state law violations. Savannah Police CPL Rich and officer Love arrived and detained GT & JT for unknown purposes other than claims of loitering. GT & JT provided such explanation to the officers, however they appeared to not want to be reasonable.
After Savannah PD officers failed to have GT & JT removed from the public parking lot, Warden Pineiro appeared to have contacted prison investigator Gary Moore.
Gary Moore contacted GT & JT in the public parking and advised them they were breaking the law. When GT questioned what such law was being violated, Gary placed GT & JT under arrest. GT & JT were charged with Loitering near inmates (Felony) and Criminal Trespass (Misd) and transported to the Chatham County Jail.
GPS records show that GT & JT personal property was transported to a private residence overnight before being moved to the Chatham County Jail.
According to records the case is closed and disposed of.
Aaron Pineiro has multiple lawsuits filed against him. One includes Brewer v. Pineiro, No. CV422-264 (S.D. Ga. Jun. 14, 2024) which alleges various unconstitutional conditions at Coastal State Prison. Pineiro has been removed from Coastal and re-assigned to Phillips State Prison according to records.
GT & JT plan to file litigation against Pineiro and Moore for what took place on November 9, 2022.
On October 1, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division released its findings into the prison system in Georgia. After a careful review of the evidence, it was concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe the conditions in Georgia’s prisons violate the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution.
GT will continue to keep you updated as this begins to unfold.
Aaron Pineiro - New Warden at Phillips State Prison
CRIPA Findings - October 1, 2024
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