Augusta jail search uncovers dozens of makeshift weapons, drugs
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Dozens of homemade weapons and other contraband items were uncovered Thursday during a comprehensive search of the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.
Officers conducted a thorough search of all pods and cells within the detention center.
Deputies said Sheriff Eugene Brantley launched the contraband search as part of a broader safety plan to maintain a secure facility.
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The search yielded:
- 20 handmade weapons (shanks).
- Two homemade tattoo devices.
- Two small bags of unknown white powder (under investigation).
- 4 grams of suspected K2 (synthetic marijuana).
- Five pending felony charges as a result of contraband possession.
All seized materials are being processed and the individuals responsible will face appropriate charges.
“We’re actually seeing less of the shanks than we were seeing before. It was not uncommon to get 20 to 30 shanks off of one pod,” said Capt. Joel Danko, who is over operations at the jail. “Today we did several pods and we came up with 20 total. That is a great improvement.”
We’ve reported conditions inside the jail for years. It’s something deputies are aware of, but they say these surprise searches are key to ensuring safety not only inside but outside, as well.
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“Every single person that’s in there, we’re obligated to keep them safe, and we have an obligation to the community, and that their loved ones are in the jail are safe,” said Danko.
The jail is designed to hold roughly 1,000 inmates. Right now, deputies say there are more than 1,300 inside.
“If there’s someone that we can release and go ahead and release them from the detention center and get them out of here, then that’s what we do,” said Col. Bo Johnson with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office. “If we’ve got people that need to go on to other facilities, then that’s what we’re working on right now and trying to make that happen. So that way it alleviates a lot of the old crowding that we deal with, and of course, that’s money we’re no longer spending on these people. So that’s a savings to the taxpayer.”
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Deputies say a new pod designed to house up to 350 inmates will be part of the solution.
Conditions within the jail are nothing new, much like the conversations we’ve followed for years. In 2023, Augusta commissioners toured the jail with then-Sheriff Richard Roundtree
“We’re running it as a prison, and we weren’t designed to run a prison,” said Roundtree.
In 2024, commissioners, the sheriff’s office, the DA’s office and the public defender’s office met in a workshop.
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“Our jail is not compatible,” said Jordan Johnson, an Augusta Commission member. “It cannot hold the amount of people that we’re continuing to incarcerate. So, the conversation needs to be around progressive incarceration. How do we lower the amount of people who are incarcerated, whether that’s through pre-arrest programs, committee initiatives, or whatever the case may be? What we’re doing right now is just simply not enough.”
Deputies said since taking office Jan. 1, Brantley has prioritized jail operations and made improvements such as.
- Deep cleaning and sanitation protocols.
- Air system repairs and upgrades.
- Restoration of all shower facilities with reliable hot water.
- Roof repairs.
- Guard line clearing.
- Security enhancements including door lock upgrades.
“Today’s operation wasn’t just about removing weapons or drugs,” Brantley said Thursday. “It was about reinforcing the safety and dignity of everyone who lives or works inside these walls.”
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He said jail searches are essential to ensure we eliminate potential threats, prevent violence and maintain order.
“Safety is the foundation of rehabilitation and professional operations,” he said.
Brantley said the operation will be followed by a consistent routine of daily targeted inspections, weekly larger-scale checks and monthly comprehensive reviews of all housing areas.
“This isn’t a one-time event,” he said.
But there’s still more work ahead.
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“Making sure that the safety is of utmost importance, and we’re gonna keep it secure, and anytime we have any information, there’ll be random searches,” said Danko. “There will also be information-driven searches, but we will continue to do. We will never stop doing this until we are satisfied that we’re getting the job done.”
We don’t have an exact timeline for when that new pod will be built, but the sheriff’s office says it’s coming and will be key when it comes to the overcrowding.
Chief of Staff Lewis Blanchard, the level of success the agency is achieving stems from “the strong partnerships Sheriff Brantley has created with law enforcement agencies and private sector allies across the state.”
Assistance on Thursday was provided by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Burke County Sheriff’s Office, Clayton County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia Department of Corrections.
After the operation, participating personnel gathered at the South Precinct for a team lunch sponsored by Chick-fil-A and Chancey’s Wrecker Service.
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