PRESS RELEASE – Twenty-six individuals were arrested over an eleven-day period in a statewide child exploitation operation named “Operation Sneaky Peach.”  The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit along with 24 participating agencies that are all part of the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force participated in the operation. Operation […]

WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. – Five former employees at the Elbert Shaw Regional Youth Detention Center in Dalton have been indicted after Alexis Sluder died in custody in August 2022. Sluder was an Ellijay resident who had been transferred to the detention center. She was there less than 24 hours before she died due to an […]

JACKSON COUNTY, Ga. – A Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Deputy has been arrested and charged with criminal trespass and violation of oath of office by the GBI. The GBI was asked to investigate after a citizen filed a formal complaint alleging that the deputy entered the complainant’s property without permission while on duty. The deputy, Zachary […]

JACKSON COUNTY, Ga. – Edwin Garcia Alonzo, 36, of Jefferson, Georgia, has been charged with murder in reference to a shooting on August 18. Jefferson Police requested the help of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to look into the shooting that left one man dead. On August 18, Mateo Gomez Lucas was found shot near […]

PRESS RELEASE – On Monday, August 28, 2023, Deputies with the Haralson County Crime Suppression Unit (CSU) working interdiction on I-20 observed a 2013 white Honda Civic failing to maintain its lane. CSU got behind the vehicle and the vehicle changed lanes without using a turn signal, so a traffic stop was initiated. During the […]

PRESS RELEASE – On Thursday morning August 24, 2023, Deputy Christine Moody was dispatched to a suspicious vehicle that was pulled off the roadway with headlights on and running. Upon further investigation it was discovered that the driver was highly intoxicated whereby a probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted and an amount of […]

PRESS RELEASE – On August 24, 2023 at around 6:50pm, White County Sheriff’s Deputies stopped a 2013 Ford F 150 for a brake light violation on Duncan Bridge Rd. During the traffic stop, a K9 conducted a free air sniff of the vehicle and alerted. During the search, several drugs were located including crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, […]

PRESS RELEASE – FCSO has arrested Maykel Hernandez, Giorge Navea and Javier Guerra-Morales for Burglary – Smash and Grab and Criminal Damage to Property. On December 30, 2022 Forsyth County deputies responded to Simon D. Jewelers, located 2915 Peachtree Parkway, in reference to a business alarm. During the response and on-scene investigation, forced entry was […]

PRESS RELEASE – We are sad to hear of the passing of Hoot Skelton. Hoot Skelton was a co-founder of the Fannin Co. Chamber of Commerce and served on the Board of Directors for 16 years. He was honored as the first recipient of the Chamber’s Life Time Achievement award. He was passionate about his […]

GEORGIA – Honorable Judge John Worcester, who served the people of Fannin, Gilmer, and Pickens Counties for more than 17 years, passed away suddenly on August 17. Judge Worcester created an impressive career for himself in his 74 years and friends, colleagues and those alike are remembering him for his years of service, that many say […]

PRESS RELEASE – On August 16th 2023, a Deputy with the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office attempted to catch up to a vehicle and conduct a traffic stop in the area of GA-15 and Camp Creek Rd. After a short vehicle pursuit, the fleeing vehicle came to a stop at an address on Connector Rd. Two […]

PRESS RELEASE – On August 21st, 2023 a Deputy with the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a Ford Explorer with a Louisiana tag that was reported stolen. Upon the Deputy activating his emergency equipment, the driver of vehicle , identified as Charles Austin Lawrence initiated a vehicle pursuit, attempting […]

PRESS RELEASE – On Tuesday, August 22, 2023, deputies were dispatched to the 5900 block of Highway 120 in reference to a domestic dispute. On arrival, deputies tried to approach a male subject behind a home, but he would not let them get close. The male was armed with a gun and was threatening to […]

PICKENS COUNTY, Ga. – Pickens Fire was dispatched a structure fire early this past Sunday morning on Carver Mill Road. The first arriving engine reported visible flames coming from the roof. It was discovered that the fire had started around a light receptacle in between two separate roof lines causing difficulty getting to the base […]

PICKENS COUNTY, Ga. – Last Thursday, August 17, 2023, Pickens County Fire Rescue along with Bent Tree Fire were dispatched to a reported vehicle fire in a garage inside the Bent Tree Community. First arriving units from Bent Tree Fire reported a vehicle fire approximately 50% involved. Vehicle was parked under a detached garage area. […]

PRESS RELEASE – The Banks County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit has been hard at work to protect the citizens of Banks County. Last night, K9 Supervisor Corporal Burnette and K9 Bruce recovered a substantial amount of suspected methamphetamine and marijuana from multiple traffic stops. During the multi-agency search for a criminal suspect on Tuesday, Deputy […]