Bledsoe County Correctional Complex

Bledsoe County Correctional Complex

Location	1045 Horsehead Road Pikeville, Tennessee
Status	open
Security class	mixed (intake facility)
Capacity	1540 + 971 in Annex = 2511
Opened	2013
Managed by	Tennessee Department of Corrections

The Bledsoe County Correctional Complex is a state prison in Pikeville, Bledsoe County, Tennessee, United States, owned and operated by the Tennessee Department of Corrections.[1]

The facility in 2013. As an intake and diagnostic facility, Bledsoe County houses a mix of inmate security levels: 300 minimum security beds, 1024 medium, 192 close, and 24 maximum security, for a total capacity of 1540.[2]

The only access to the $208 million complex of 23 buildings is an entry tunnel, allowing an uninterrupted perimeter fence. Individual pre-cast cells, of 80 square feet, were fully assembled off-site and then stacked by crane. The architects were the DLR Group.[3]

The former Southeastern Tennessee State Regional Correctional Facility, built in 1980 with 971 beds, stands intact immediately adjacent to the new facility. It was re-designated as the BCCC Annex. Neither facility should be confused with the Bledsoe County Detention Center on Allen Deakins Road, which opened in 2011 as a county jail. [4]

Notable inmates

Notable criminals incarcerated at the facility include:

• Letalvis Cobbins – convicted of the 2007 kidnapping, rape, and murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom[5]
• Travis Reinking – convicted of the Nashville Waffle House shooting[6]
• George Geovonni Thomas – convicted of the 2007 kidnapping, rape, and murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom[5]
• William “bill” Casey - former Catholic Priest for diocese of Knoxville convicted for the 1980 aggravated rape of Warren Tucker, Tucker was a minor at the time of the rapes, casey was convicted on November 23rd, 2011 at the age of 77 and was sentenced to 40 years in prison, Casey is currently 90 and not eligible for Parole until 2029, his current release date is December 21st 2037. As of 2021 Casey was denied post conviction relief.

References

1. "Bledsoe County Correctional Complex". Tennessee Department of Correction. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
2. Benton, Ben (12 December 2012). "1,500 inmates to be held in new $208 million Bledsoe County prison". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
3. "Bledsoe County Correctional Complex". DLR Group. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
4. Cobb, David (6 June 2016). "More details released surrounding Bledsoe County inmate's death". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
5. McRary, Amy. "Gary Christian: From rage to restoration, a murder victim's father finds the faith he left". Knoxville News Sentinel.
6. "Search Results - Tennessee Felony Offender Information".

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