George Lowther knows about every inch of the Westmoreland County Prison, having started at the lockup 28 years ago as a part-time guard and working his way up to the deputy warden position.

On Friday, Lowther, 60, of Latrobe, was named interim warden.

He will replace Warden John Walton, who announced his intent to resign in September and wrapped up an 18-year career at the prison on Friday.

Walton lobbied prison board members to make Lowther’s interim appointment permanent.

“We have a very qualified person. I assure you none of the candidates for the job is as qualified. I would recommend to the (prison) board that you have a good individual already down there,” Walton said.

Walton claimed he was driven from his post by what he called “baseless attacks” and “relentless harassment” from county Commissioner Gina Cerilli.

Twice in 2016 and two more times in 2018, Cerilli called for Walton’s firing. She claimed in 2016 that Walton was ineffective in his role as warden and failed to adequately respond to allegations from jail employees of misconduct and inefficiency of the lockup’s management as well harassment complaints made against the facility’s administrators.

Two years later, Cerilli again sought to have Walton removed after she charged he mishandled an internal probe of suspended veteran guard Henry “Sonny” Caruso III, who committed suicide after had become a potential target in an ongoing human trafficking investigation at his wife’s massage parlors in Monroeville and Murrysville.

Walton last year filed a written complaint with the prison board against Cerilli and demanded a public apology that never came.

Past and present prison board members, including county commissioners and other elected officials, backed Walton.

“I appreciate the job you did as warden,” said Controller Jeff Balzer.

“It’s not an easy job and I appreciate all the work you have done over the last 18 years,” said District Attorney John Peck.

Sheriff James Albert, chairman of the prison board, abstained from the otherwise unanimous vote to name Lowther as the interim warden. Albert said he chose not to vote as a protest against what he said was a prolonged timetable to hire a permanent warden and not as opposition to Lowther’s interim appointment.

“I was hoping to have it done by now, and I thought we should have a final candidate hired,” Albert said.

Alexis Bevan, the county’s human resource director, told prison board members that five job candidates were interviewed and the process to find Walton’s replacement is ongoing. Bevan said the county received resumes from 14 candidates, but some were not qualified.

Bevan said the county is seeking candidates with a bachelor’s degree, nine years of supervisory experience and preferably someone who has held a title of deputy warden.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)