Grand Jury Indicts Former Hall County Deputy
News October 4, 2017
Michael Paul Lusk
CLEVELAND, Ga. – A White County Grand Jury indicted former Hall County Sheriff’s deputy Michael Paul Lusk, 51, of Cleveland Monday on charges of Computer Invasion of Privacy and Violation of Oath of Public Office, both felonies.
In May 2015, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office called the GBI in to investigate what they believed to be Lusk’s unauthorized procurement of personal data for his own personal gain.
Lusk was fired that same month and the GBI sought warrants on May 22 from White County Chief Superior Court, Judge Murphy C. Miller.
Lusk surrendered himself at the White County Jail and was later released on a $10,000 bond.
Count One of the indictment reads: “Michael Paul Lusk, on or about the 2nd day of May 2015, did willfully and intentionally violate the terms of his oath as prescribed by law in that he did swear and abide by the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics and then did violate the laws of the State of Georgia by committing the offense of Computer Invasion of Privacy and stalking, contrary to the laws of said State…”
Count 2 reads: The Grand Jury aforementioned in the name of and on behalf of the citizens of Georgia, charge and accuse Michael Paul Lusk with the offense of Computer Invasion of Privacy for that said accused in White County, Georgia, on or about the 2nd day of May 2015, did intentionally use a computer network to examine personal data relating to Rusty Myers with the knowledge that such examination was without authorization of said person contrary to the laws of the State…”
No trial date has been set.
GBI Assessment of Fentanyl Spill
State & National June 30, 2017
Decatur, GA – On Thursday, June 29, 2017, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) conducted an assessment of the fentanyl spill. This assessment has determined that evidence containing a powder of fine furanyl fentanyl leaked through untaped corners and seams of a cardboard box. The furanyl fentanyl came from powder residue within the box. The Crime Lab has modified lab procedures related to repackaging and return of drug evidence to ensure that this situation does not recur. These procedures include enhanced sealing and new containment protocols. Return of drug evidence has resumed.
6/28/17 – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Lab is currently reviewing internal procedures for packaging drug evidence. This follows information received from the Duluth Police Department that evidence containing a fentanyl related drug spilled out of a package that was returned to the agency today. Additionally, the crime lab will be conducting a thorough review of this incident with the goal of establishing what caused the spill. A temporary hold has been placed on the release of all drug evidence during the review. An update will be provided following the full assessment.
Commissioners Vote to Move Forward With Prep Work on Stanley Nix Road
News March 7, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — Road projects were front and center at Monday’s meeting of the White County Board of Commissioners.
Commissioners voted unanimously to move forward with the prep work on Stanley Nix Road and awarded low bidder Nelson Contracting the job for $95,899.35. Chairman Travis Turner said prep work should begin this summer, giving the roadway a year or two to settle before paving begins.
Commissioners, however, rejected bids to improve Carolina Springs Road for being too expensive, but said they will re-bid the project. They also withdrew a previous decision to pave Bean Creek Road. Commissioner Edwin Nix explained that residents who live along the road said they didn’t want the road paved.
The Board also approved several Consent Agenda items, including:
⦁ Allowing the Sheriff’s Office to surplus 11 vehicles that have outlived their usefulness and
⦁ Authorization for the Tax Commissioner’s Office to continue receiving various forms of payment and revised authority to disburse funds to the Board of Commissioners on a monthly basis.
Commissioners also presented a proclamation to declare March 29, 2017 as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” and March 6-10 as “Exceptional Children’s Week” in White County.
Convoy of Care – South Georgia Tornado Relief
Featured, News February 7, 2017
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
News Release
Contact: Natalie Ammons
For Immediate Release
February 6, 2017
Convoy of Care – South Georgia Tornado Relief
Atlanta, Georgia – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is once again partnering with state law enforcement agencies, Channel 2 WSB-TV, the Georgia Motor Trucking Association, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) and Caring for Others, Inc., to help raise funds for South Georgia residents who survived the historic tornado outbreak last month.
“The communities in South Georgia need money to be able to fund specific needs of each individual resident, whether it’s to cut down trees or to restore homes,” said Tim McVay, WSB-TV Vice President and General Manager. “That’s why we are urging our viewers to make cash donations now.”
The Convoy of Care will take a load of supplies to South Georgia on Sunday, February 12th. Mt Zion Baptist Church in Albany will be accepting the donations and distributing supplies on site. Volunteers from Caring for Others and the law firm Stewart, Seay and Felton will load up the tractor trailer truck donated by Holland, Inc. which was part of the first Convoy of Care that saw five tractor trailer trucks go to flood ravaged Baton Rouge, Louisiana in August last year.
Law enforcement organizations including the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association, along with state agencies; Georgia State Board of Pardons & Paroles, Georgia State Patrol, and Georgia Bureau of Investigation, have pledged to use their network to raise the awareness of the Convoy of Care online fundraising effort.
“We’re all One Georgia, and we want to continue to demonstrate how law enforcement serves the very communities we are sworn to protect,” said Clarence
Cox, National Vice President of NOBLE.
Funds being collected through Caring for Others will be disbursed directly to Long Term Recovery Committees being established in the Berrien, Cook, Crisp, Dougherty, Thomas, Turner, Wilcox, and Worth counties in coordination with GEMA, Caring for Others is accepting online cash donations at http://caring4others.org – click on “South Georgia Disaster Relief” at the top of the page or checks may be mailed to Caring for Others, Inc., 3537 Browns Mill Road, SE, Atlanta, Georgia 30354. Please indicate that you are donating to South Georgia Tornado Relief.
“The men and women of the GBI are honored to partner with Channel 2 WSB and our law enforcement counterparts n raising money for the tornado victims in South Georgia. This money is desperately needed so that they can begin to rebuild their lives,” said GBI Director Vernon Keenan.
Seventeen Georgians were killed by tornadoes that blew through South Georgia in January and caused more than $100 million worth of damage. State Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens says much of the damage was to structures and properties that were uninsured.
Drug Enforcement Grant, Tax Levy on Distilled Spirit Distributors Discussed at Monday Work Session
News January 31, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — GBI Special Agent Mitchell Posey came before the White County Board of Commissioners work session Monday to ask for approval to apply a $359,412 grant to fund the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO).
Posey explained that the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant from the federal government is the same grant the board has approved for several years. It pays about half the salaries of the agents and does not require any match from local government.
ARDEO is one of 11 multi-jurisdictional drug task forces and is made up of at least one agent employed by a law enforcement agency in White, Lumpkin, Banks, Habersham, Rabun, Stephens or Towns counties.
Director of Community and Economic Development Tom O’Bryant presented a proposal to amend the county code associated with the excise tax levy for wholesalers and distributors of distilled spirits in the county.
O’Bryant explained that when the county adopted a dozen or more amendments to the county code it overlooked wholesalers and distributors.
“Right now, they’re not paying the tax,” Commission Chairman Travis Turner said. “But they will pay 22 cents per liter.”
Sautee Nacoochee Community Association Executive Director Patrick Brennan previewed SNC’s upcoming Winterfest. SNC is partnerning with Unicoi State park & Lodge and Helen Arts & Heritage Center for the inaugural event being held Feb. 18 and 19 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. More than 145 artists will perform live and visitors can win original art and fine craft prizes. For more information visit the Sautee Nacoochee Community Association web site.
The board also discussed the appointment of Judi Lawson to the White County Department of Family and Children Services for a five-year term.
These items are expected to be voted on at the next scheduled voting session.
Murder Suspect Did Not Surrender Easily
News August 17, 2016
ATHENS, Ga. — Following a brief, pre-dawn standoff at the Travel Inn on West Broad Street, Athens-Clarke County police arrested 27-year-old Frederick Sauder today and charged him with the April 10 shooting death of Wayne Alexander, 66, of White County.
Prior to his arrest, ACCPD received information that Sauder was armed with a rifle which led the SWAT team to evacuate hotel guests and establish a perimeter. When Sauder refused to cooperate with negotiators, authorities used a distraction device and chemical munitions to gain compliance and he was taken into custody.
White County Chief Deputy Bob Ingram said this morning that Sauder had ingested drugs and was transported to an Athens-area hospital before being turned over to the White County Sheriff’s Office.
Ingram did not speculate on a motive for the shooting and declined to say if further arrests are being considered. He did say this is still an active investigation by White County and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Alexander’s body was found at his Craven Road home in Cleveland last Wednesday by his ex-wife who said she went to check on him because of some physical problems he had.
No Autopsy Results Yet, But Deputy Suspects Homicide
News August 12, 2016
CLEVELAND, Ga. – White County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Bob Ingram said late Friday afternoon that he would not speculate on the motive in the death of 66-year-old Wayne Alexander but he did confirm that there is a homicide investigation underway.
Alexander’s body was found by his ex-wife who said she went to check on him at his home on Craven Road Wednesday because of some physical problems he had.
The body was sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for an autopsy. Ingram said he has not received the results of that autopsy yet. “We don’t know the cause ore the motive yet, but we are looking at suspects,” he said.
Teen Charged With Murder in Shooting Death
News July 3, 2016
CLEVELAND, Ga. — Seventeen-year-old Christopher Courville was arrested Friday and charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of Savon A. Williams of Cleveland.
Deputies from the White County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 9-1-1 call that was first reported as a suicide at 50 Eagle Ridge Trail in the small but affluent Eagles Landing Subdivision where homes run in the $300,000 to $600,000 range.
They found Williams dead of a gunshot wound in the basement of the home. Deputies found the death to be suspicious and called the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for assistance.
Chief Deputy Bob Ingram said there were four people in the basement at the time the incident occurred but they were not identified.
Fetch Your News will have more information as details become available.
No Motive Yet in Fatal Shooting
News July 5, 2016
CLEVELAND, Ga. — White County Sheriff Neal Walden said Tuesday that no motive is apparent yet in the shooting death Friday of 21-year old Savon Smith of Cleveland. Christopher Courville, 17, of Michigan was arrested at the scene and charged with murder.
“Courville’s first appearance was held Saturday in White County Magistrate Court,” Walden said. “There may be some additional charges filed but anything further will have to come from Superior Court.”
The case will be bound over to Judge Murphy C. Miller Chief Superior Court Judge for the Enotah District.
The shooting took place at 50 Eagle Ridge Trail in the small, but affluent Eagles Landing Subdivision. There were four people present at the time of the shooting but Walden declined to name them because the investigation is ongoing. He did say the home did not belong to the victim or suspect.
The shooting was first reported to 9-1-1 as a suicide, but investigators found the story to be suspicious and called in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Commercial Gambling Search Warrants across Georgia
Featured, News October 28, 2015
Commercial Gambling Search Warrants across Georgia
Macon, GA. – On Wednesday, October 28, 2015, the GBI’s Commercial Gambling Unit, along with local law enforcement agencies across the State, and in cooperation with the Georgia Lottery Corporation and the Georgia Department of Revenue executed sixteen (16) search warrants in Troup, Houston, Bibb, Chatham, Terrell, and Henry Counties for violations of Georgia’s commercial gambling laws.
Search warrants were served at fifteen (15) convenience stores and one (1) residence. While searching the locations, agents collected evidence related to crimes of commercial gambling and seized monetary assets gained from the illegal use of gaming machines.
All of the locations are currently licensed to operate Coin Operated Amusement Machines under the master license of Sudama Resorts, Inc. However, during the course of the investigation, agents discovered customers were receiving cash payouts for winning credits. In Georgia, credits may only be redeemed for lottery tickets and/or store merchandise.
Search warrants were executed at the following business locations:
- 6230 Zebulon Road, Macon
- 1477 Pio Nono Road, Macon
- 2017 Millerfield Road, Macon
- 2545 New Clinton Road, Macon
- 415 S. Greenwood Street, LaGrange
- 426 S. Greenwood Street, LaGrange
- 1312 Hamilton Road, LaGrange
- 801 D Whiteville Street, LaGrange
- 1602 W. Bay Street, Savannah
- 2203 Skidaway Road, Savannah
- 9137 Whitebluff Road, Savannah
- 1210 E. Derenne Ave., Savannah
- 508 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins
- 516 Feagin Mill Road, Warner Robins
- 8125 Albany Highway, Sasser
Sudama Resorts, Inc. is the master license holder for all of the stores where illegal cash payouts were received and search warrants were executed. Undercover operations revealed cash payouts were taking place at over 25% of locations statewide where Sudama Resorts, Inc. is contracted to place COAM machines.
Multiple arrests are pending.
In total, more than 75 Agents, Investigators and Police Officers launched the raids in a simultaneous and coordinated fashion.
Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney David Cooke is coordinating a press conference planned for later today. Please contact the Office of the District Attorney at 478-746-9441 for additional information.
Scam Alert – GBI’s Main Line (404-244-2600) Spoofed
News October 27, 2015
Decatur, GA – Please be advised that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s main line (404-244-2600) has been compromised as a result of telephone spoofing. This is a scam that the GBI has been dealing with for approximately one month. When a telephone number is spoofed, the Caller ID of the caller will appear to be coming from a valid number. In the cases specifically related to the GBI, the individual being called will see telephone number 404-244-2600.
In many of the phone calls, the caller has called home phones and cell phones stating that they are with the GBI collecting a debt with the IRS or collecting a debt for college and that there would be a warrant out for their arrest if they didn’t pay the fine.
The GBI does not contact individuals for debt collection. If you get a call from anyone claiming to represent the GBI in this manner, you are urged not to conduct any business over the phone if you did not initiate the call. Additionally, do not give credit card information out to someone who has called you.
The GBI is currently investigating this matter.