Crime

Former prosecutor charged with misconduct in Ahmaud Arbery case

A Glynn County grand jury indicted former Brunswick District Attorney Jackie Johnson Thursday for misconduct in the investigation of the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery last year. Johnson is charged with violating her oath as a public official and obstructing a police officer. The first charge is a felony punishable by one to five years in prison, while the second is a misdemeanor. Specifically, Johnson is accused of showing favoritism in the investigation toward suspect Greg McMichael, who had worked as an investigator in her office, and “failing to treat Ahmaud Arbery and his family fairly and with dignity,” the…

Search for man accused of waving gun in front of Georgia high school ends

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office is confirming that the search for a suspect wanted for causing disruption near Woodland High School, located at 800 N. Moseley Drive, ended around 2pm. Sheriff Reginald B. Scandrett says 24-year old, Shelby Mark Poss is in custody after a multi hour situation that ended without injury. Poss was identified by witnesses who say he was standing in the vicinity of Woodland High School waving a handgun. The suspect was wearing gray shorts, no shirt and no shoes when one of the witnesses encountered him while dropping her children off at Woodland High. The parent…

Police search for man accused of shooting girlfriend in front of a child

ALBANY -- The Albany Police Department’s Criminal Investigative Bureau is looking for 22-year-old Montravious Clark. He is wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred on West Mercer Avenue at about 2:13 a.m. today. According to the Albany Police Department, Clark allegedly shot his girlfriend multiple times while a juvenile was present. Anyone who has information regarding this wanted person should call Crime Stoppers at (229) 436-TIPS, or they can contact one of the following investigators at (229) 302-0807.

16-year-old charged in triple homicide on Fourth of July

The GBI has charged 16-year-old Rolando Millan, of East Point, with three counts of Felony Murder for the deaths of Brittany Sneed, Travis Sneed & Kristina Soles on July 4 in Statesboro. Millan is currently in custody at the Augusta Youth Detention Center on unrelated charges. The Bulloch County Sheriff‘s Office was dispatched to a call at Lundy’s Trailer Park in in Statesboro on July 4 in reference to a female gunshot victim. When deputies arrived at the scene, they found 35-year-old Brittany Sneed on the back porch of the residence suffering from suspected gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead…

Getting COVID-19 under control is the key to ending the crime wave

The partial shutdown of the court system in Georgia during the coronavirus pandemic is contributing to the crime wave plaguing Atlanta and other cities, a representative of the state’s prosecutors said Tuesday. “We have to get our courts operating again,” Pete Skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, told members of a legislative committee. “If we get COVID under control, jails will be able to hold people longer.” Georgia House Speaker David Ralston asked the House Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee last spring to hold hearings this summer to examine what’s behind a rise in violent…

Georgia sailor and colleague accused of conspiracy to traffic guns

Elijah Isaiah Boykin, an active-duty U.S. Navy Sailor, and Elijah Keashon Barnes have been indicted for unlawfully obtaining and transporting dozens of firearms that were later used in New Jersey-area crimes. According to the Department of Justice, Boykin and Barnes served together in the U.S. Navy until June 2020, when Barnes was discharged following his confinement for repeated violations of military law. “Federal law prohibits the making of false statements and misrepresentations to licensed firearms dealers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “Individuals who use deception to buy guns intended for other people will face severe consequences, including imprisonment and the…

Four accused of human trafficking in DeKalb County

Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that the office’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has indicted four individuals on human trafficking charges. A DeKalb County Grand Jury returned the indictment on Aug. 24. “We thank the DeKalb County Grand Jury for their careful consideration of the evidence in this case,” said Attorney General Chris Carr. “Our Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit looks forward to presenting our case in court. We hope to send a strong message that buyers and traffickers’ actions are equally as despicable, and we will aggressively prosecute both.” A summary of the charges against these individuals is below: Trayon Moore…

Armed robber follows victim from Gwinnett County gas station

Gwinnett Police are asking the community for assistance in identifying a man who committed an armed robbery in Peachtree Corners on July 21. The victim was in line at the gas station and noticed the man in line behind him. When the victim left, the man followed him from the gas station. A beige Chevrolet Impala stopped the victim in the road and the suspect pointed a handgun at the victim. The suspect took more than $9,000, along with other personal items. Gwinnett Police Robbery Detectives are actively investigating the case. Detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect…

Canton man sentenced for zip tying and pistol-whipping his ex-wife

CANTON -- A Canton man was sentenced to 70 years with the first 25 of those years to be served in confinement for an attack on his ex-wife in the early morning hours of New Year's Day. According to the Cherokee County District Attorney's Office, Rodney William Metzer has admitted to 14 charges related to an attack on his ex-wife that included kidnapping, assaulting, threatening her with a handgun, and leaving her bound with homemade zip tie handcuffs. The defendant pled guilty and was sentenced Aug. 4 to 70 years, with the first 25 years to be served in confinement…

12-year-old Georgia boy shot while riding in mother’s car

COLUMBUS -- The FBI is offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and indictment of those responsible for the homicide of 12-year old Cortez Richardson. Richardson was tragically shot and killed while riding in the back seat of his mother's vehicle on August 13. The Columbus Police Department, who is investigating the murder, said the shooting happened near the intersection of Floyd Road and Luna Chive in Columbus. The police investigation has revealed that the boy and his family were on their way home from dinner when their vehicle got caught between an exchange of gunfire…

Three brothers arrested in Atlanta sidewalk shooting

ATLANTA -- Police in Atlanta have made three arrests made in the Aug. 23 homicide of a man near Perry Blvd. Officers responded to the address on a report of a person shot at about 11:35 p.m. Once on scene, officers found an adult male lying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to the hospital where he later died of his wounds. Atlanta Police Homicide investigators took lead on the case and quickly identified the suspects as Gregory Yancey, Gerry Yancey and Bobby Yancey. Warrants were obtained for their arrest, and by Aug, 24, all…

Two arrested for identity theft in Paulding County

An investigation into a car crash led Paulding County Sheriff's deputies to arrest two people for identity theft after law enforcement officials say several fake IDs were found in the car. Deputies with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office responded to a motor vehicle crash on Laird Road to assist the Georgia State Patrol on July 13. The driver, later identified as 41-year-old Kelley Marie Faulkner, was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of her injuries which occurred during the accident. According to the Paulding County Sheriff's Dept., during the investigation and subsequent inventory of her vehicle, 10 fraudulent driver’s…

GBI: Police shoot man who threatened to blow them up with Molotov cocktails

A 41-year-old Georgia man was hospitalized after police say he lit Molotov cocktails as authorities were entering his home. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, preliminary information indicates that at about 4:30 p.m., deputies with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office arrived at a home on Park West Drive in Carrollton to serve a temporary protective order on Bryce Jarrod Suter in reference to Terroristic Threats and Family Violence Act. Upon arrival police say, Suter barricaded himself inside the mobile home and began threatening to “blow up” deputies on scene. Deputies began speaking and trying to negotiate with Suter through…

Georgia coroner charged with sexual battery

On Wednesday, August 18, 2021, Early County Coroner Todd Hunter, age 51, of Blakely, was arrested for Felony Violation of Oath of Office and Misdemeanor Sexual Battery. Hunter was transported to the Early County Jail where he was subsequently released on bond. On Tuesday, August 17, 2021, the Early County Sheriff’s Office asked the GBI to investigate allegations that Hunter sexually assaulted one person at his home. Based on information obtained during the investigation, investigators believe there are other victims. You can submit anonymous tips can by calling 1-800-597-TIPS(8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app. …

Roswell businesswoman pleads guilty to bank fraud

ROSWELL -- A Roswell businesswoman pleaded guilty to a charge of bank fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program. According to the United States Department of Justice, Hunter VanPelt, a/k/a Hunter Lauren VanPelt, a/k/a Ellen Corkrum, a/k/a Ellen Yabba Kwame Corkrum defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program of more than $6 million. “The Paycheck Protection Program helps businesses keep their workforces employed during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine. “When these funds are diverted by fraud, such as in this case, workers and the businesses that employ them unfortunately suffer.” According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charge…