Multiple sources have reported to EJI that two guns were found inside St. Clair Correctional Facility in Springville, Alabama, this week. At least one of the guns was reportedly discovered in one of the prison’s housing units. It is unknown whether the guns were loaded.
The discovery of firearms inside St. Clair comes less than two weeks after a senior supervisor at the prison, correctional lieutenant Calvin Bush, was arrested and charged with drug trafficking. More than 27 lbs of drugs and 156 cell phones were discovered at his house. Two people incarcerated at St. Clair died of suspected overdoses the week of his arrest.
Firearms have been found at St. Clair at least twice before in recent years.
In October 2015, two handguns, along with a quantity of drugs and cell phones, were discovered in a package thrown over the fence. An audit conducted by the prison later stated that “after locking down the facility and some investigation, it was discovered that there was already ammunition inside the facility.”
In December 2017, two incarcerated people escaped from St. Clair equipped with a Taurus handgun as well as bolt cutters and hacksaw blades. In an interview with law enforcement following his recapture, one of the men told investigators that St. Clair warden Cedric Specks had sold them the gun.
Firearms have been found at or in at least 11 other Alabama state prisons since January 2023. According to Alabama Department of Corrections statistical reports, correctional staff reported recovering 60 firearms between January 2023 and March 2025.