Home Drug, contraband shakedown, change in leadership at Greensville Correctional Center
Public Safety, Virginia

Drug, contraband shakedown, change in leadership at Greensville Correctional Center

Crystal Graham
prison jail
(© methaphum – stock.adobe.com)

Suspected drugs, improvised weapons and contraband including cell phones were recovered by the Virginia Department of Corrections at the Greensville Correctional Center following a comprehensive shakedown of inmate housing units.

New leadership has also been announced at the facility:

  • Kevin McCoy, formerly warden at Sussex I State Prison, has been named the new lead warden at Greensville.
  • David Newcomer, formerly the warden at Augusta Correctional Center, has been named warden at Greensville.
  • Frank Roach, formerly the assistant warden at Dillwyn Correctional Center, has been named assistant warden at Greensville.

The former leadership at Greensville has been reassigned to other facilities and operational units within the VADOC.

“The Virginia Department of Corrections is taking several steps to ensure institutional safety and security at Greensville Correctional Center,” said VADOC Director Chadwick Dotson. “This drug and contraband shakedown will improve safety within the facility, which helps us to meet our goals of long-term public safety for the Commonwealth.”

The searches were conducted from October 30 to November 14 by security staff members at Greensville and statewide special response team members.

Items seized included: 

  • Heroin
  • Cocaine
  • Buprenorphine strips
  • THC and THC Wax
  • Possible crack cocaine
  • Possible spice
  • Steroid tablets
  • A white, powdery substance
  • A white, crystalline substance
  • A brown, powdery substance
  • A brown, liquid substance
  • A grey, powdery substance
  • A black, tar-like substance
  • Many unknown substances
  • 21 homemade weapons
  • 10 cell phones
  • Contraband homemade clothing

The VADOC is developing a specific operational plan for addressing the flow of drugs and contraband into Greensville Correctional Center. Greensville’s inmate population is the largest among VADOC’s major institutions.

As of August, the inmate population at Greensville was 2,424.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for nearly 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.