Dodge County gynecologist Dr. George “Mack” Bird, III, age 59, appeared in the United State District Court for Georgia March 21, 2018, and pled guilty to the charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
United States assistant attorneys from the Savannah and Augusta offices told the The Dodge County News in a phone interview on Monday that both of the charges were federal felonies and each carried up to five years of
imprisonment each without the possibility of parole.
Bird also agreed to forfeit approximately $2.7 million in assets and property that were seized as part of the investigation, and were traceable to his crimes.
As reported in the June 10, 2015 issue of The Dodge County News, Bird was charged and arrested with the sale of a Schedule IV controlled substance, possession of Schedule II and Schedule IV controlled substances with the intent to distribute, illegally written prescriptions and use of pre-signed prescriptions.
Those drugs included, but were not limited to, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office on March 26, opioids (such as hydrocodone combination products), alprazolam (Xanax), carisoprodol (Soma), phentermine (Adipex), and phendimetrazine (Plegine).
[Full Story »]
Top Stories - Topics from March, 2018

Monkeys stolen
Three monkeys, valued around $4,000.00 each, have been reported stolen to the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Dodge County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Glen Conley, the monkeys belong to Judy Milner, of Dodge County. Milner reported that one monkey had been stolen in February and two more were stolen in early March.
Conley told The Dodge County News on Tuesday during a phone interview that it appeared on both occasions that an individual or individuals had cut through the perimeter fence where the monkeys were kept.
Prior to the thefts, Conley said it appeared that someone had tried once before to steal the monkeys.
According to reports, a reward for information about the monkeys is being offered for information pertaining to the monkeys’ whereabouts and/or the theft.
Conley stated, for safety purposes, “If you see the monkeys, don’t try to capture them or touch them…call us first.”
Anyone with any information about the monkeys or the theft should contact the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office at 478-559-1130.
In other law enforcement news, from March 17, 2018 to March 19, 2018, the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office made the following arrests:
James Harrelson, age 39, of Helena was charged with criminal trespass, simple assault- family violence and aggravated assault.
Johnathan Randall Howell, age 30, of Monticello, was charged with probation violation.
Shakkia Renee Hudson, age 35, of Dublin, was charged with theft by shoplifting.
Cedric Dwight Jenkins, age 22, of Warner Robins, was charged with probation violation and a bench warrant.
Tabitha Marie Lee, age 38, of Hawkinsville, was charged with a probation violation.
Timothy Sparrow, age 27, of Hawkinsville, was charged with a parole violation.
John Phillip Warner, age 27, of East Dublin, was charged with theft by receiving stolen property- felony, theft by taking – felony and burglary – first degree (felony).
Hataria Whitehead, age 20, of Lithonia, was charged with obstruction of law enforcement officer when engaged on official duty which results in serious physical injury.
[Full Story »]
According to Dodge County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Glen Conley, the monkeys belong to Judy Milner, of Dodge County. Milner reported that one monkey had been stolen in February and two more were stolen in early March.
Conley told The Dodge County News on Tuesday during a phone interview that it appeared on both occasions that an individual or individuals had cut through the perimeter fence where the monkeys were kept.
Prior to the thefts, Conley said it appeared that someone had tried once before to steal the monkeys.
According to reports, a reward for information about the monkeys is being offered for information pertaining to the monkeys’ whereabouts and/or the theft.
Conley stated, for safety purposes, “If you see the monkeys, don’t try to capture them or touch them…call us first.”
Anyone with any information about the monkeys or the theft should contact the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office at 478-559-1130.
In other law enforcement news, from March 17, 2018 to March 19, 2018, the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office made the following arrests:
James Harrelson, age 39, of Helena was charged with criminal trespass, simple assault- family violence and aggravated assault.
Johnathan Randall Howell, age 30, of Monticello, was charged with probation violation.
Shakkia Renee Hudson, age 35, of Dublin, was charged with theft by shoplifting.
Cedric Dwight Jenkins, age 22, of Warner Robins, was charged with probation violation and a bench warrant.
Tabitha Marie Lee, age 38, of Hawkinsville, was charged with a probation violation.
Timothy Sparrow, age 27, of Hawkinsville, was charged with a parole violation.
John Phillip Warner, age 27, of East Dublin, was charged with theft by receiving stolen property- felony, theft by taking – felony and burglary – first degree (felony).
Hataria Whitehead, age 20, of Lithonia, was charged with obstruction of law enforcement officer when engaged on official duty which results in serious physical injury.
[Full Story »]

Accused cop killer pleads not guilty
Royheem Deeeds, age 26, accused of killing Eastman Police Officer Tim Smith in August of 2016, appeared in a Dodge County Superior Court last week for his arraignment, and he entered a plea of not guilty to the nine charges he was indicted for by a grand jury.
Those charges include two counts of aggravated assault against a police officer, three counts of possession of a firearm by a first offender probationer, two counts of felony murder, one count of malice murder and one count of aggravated assault on a peace officer.
Represented by a team of attorneys from the Capital Defender’s Office, Deeds signed his plea of not guilty on March 8, 2018.
Deeds is accused of shooting and killing Eastman Police Officer Tim Smith when Smith responded to a suspicious person call at the intersection of Smith and Main Streets on August 13, 2016. According to reports from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), officer Smith, just days short of his 31st birthday, was shot as he exited his police car.
Smith had joined the Eastman Police Department in February 2011. Smith was able to fire back at Deeds, but Deeds still was able to flee the scene. Smith died from his injuries at the hospital.
Two days later, Deeds was found in Nassau County, Florida, in a car driven by his sister at a traffic stop.
In May of 2017, the prosecutors informed the court that they were seeking the death penalty against Deeds.
Last Thursday’s arraignment, according to Dodge County District Attorney Tim Vaughn, was just the next step in the process. [Full Story »]
Those charges include two counts of aggravated assault against a police officer, three counts of possession of a firearm by a first offender probationer, two counts of felony murder, one count of malice murder and one count of aggravated assault on a peace officer.
Represented by a team of attorneys from the Capital Defender’s Office, Deeds signed his plea of not guilty on March 8, 2018.
Deeds is accused of shooting and killing Eastman Police Officer Tim Smith when Smith responded to a suspicious person call at the intersection of Smith and Main Streets on August 13, 2016. According to reports from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), officer Smith, just days short of his 31st birthday, was shot as he exited his police car.
Smith had joined the Eastman Police Department in February 2011. Smith was able to fire back at Deeds, but Deeds still was able to flee the scene. Smith died from his injuries at the hospital.
Two days later, Deeds was found in Nassau County, Florida, in a car driven by his sister at a traffic stop.
In May of 2017, the prosecutors informed the court that they were seeking the death penalty against Deeds.
Last Thursday’s arraignment, according to Dodge County District Attorney Tim Vaughn, was just the next step in the process. [Full Story »]

Suspect in multi-county armed robberies arrested
A collaboration between several law enforcement agencies, including the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, the Eastman Police Department, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, brought one suspect in a multi-county armed robbery investigation into custody last week.
Lifranklin Tyrone McMillian, age 18, last known address was Helena, was charged after admitting to his involvement in multiple armed robberies in Laurens, Telfair and Dodge Counties.
The first of the armed robberies in Laurens County occurred on February 22, 2018, at the County Line Package Store in Cadwell, with four more to follow, – two at Flash Foods in Milan and Dexter.
According to a press release from the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of an armed robbery at the Quick Stop in Chester on February 8, 2018. Authorities say that the store clerk reported a black male entered the store armed with an aerosol can and a butane lighter. The clerk stated to the deputies that the offender demanded money from the register. Once the offender obtained the money, he fled the store on foot.
Ten days later, on February 18, 2018, deputies from the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office responded to a similar report of an armed robbery at the Kuntry Mart in Gresston.
[Full Story »]
Lifranklin Tyrone McMillian, age 18, last known address was Helena, was charged after admitting to his involvement in multiple armed robberies in Laurens, Telfair and Dodge Counties.
The first of the armed robberies in Laurens County occurred on February 22, 2018, at the County Line Package Store in Cadwell, with four more to follow, – two at Flash Foods in Milan and Dexter.
According to a press release from the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of an armed robbery at the Quick Stop in Chester on February 8, 2018. Authorities say that the store clerk reported a black male entered the store armed with an aerosol can and a butane lighter. The clerk stated to the deputies that the offender demanded money from the register. Once the offender obtained the money, he fled the store on foot.
Ten days later, on February 18, 2018, deputies from the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office responded to a similar report of an armed robbery at the Kuntry Mart in Gresston.
[Full Story »]
Page 1 of 1, totaling 4 entries
Comments