Nearly 400 pre-trial detainees to be transferred from private prison in Georgia in move critics call 'a catastrophe'

September 18, 2026 / 3:53 PM EDT / CBS News

Nearly 400 pre-trial detainees to be transferred from private prison in Georgia in move critics call 'a catastrophe'

TL;DR

  • The U.S. Marshals Service plans to transfer about 400 pre-trial detainees from a private prison in Lovejoy, Georgia, run by GEO Group.
  • The move is due to concerns about inadequate and unsafe conditions at the Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility.
  • Legal professionals in Atlanta argue the transfer, to a facility nearly 200 miles away, will disrupt criminal prosecutions and hinder access to legal counsel.
  • The new facility, in Ocilla, Georgia, is run by La Salle Corrections, a company that has faced lawsuits and human rights complaints.
  • The U.S. Marshals Service did not renew its contract with GEO Group, citing issues like staffing shortages and maintenance problems at the Deyton facility.
  • Chief Judge Leigh Martin May and Federal Defender Program Executive Director Natasha Silas have expressed strong opposition to the transfer, calling it a "catastrophe" and highlighting increased costs and logistical challenges.