Four arrested for vandalism

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Four arrested for vandalism

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Thursday, December 22. 2011

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The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office has arrested four young men for the recent rash of vandalism to mailboxes across the county. The sheriff’s office began receiving complaints of mailboxes being torn down and destroyed Thursday night, December 8 into Friday morning December 9. The damage was scattered all over Dodge County from Horne Road in Plainfield to Sweet Home Church Road near Milan.

At least thirty five (35) home owners filed formal incident reports with the sheriff’s office to report the damage. Patrol deputies located a vehicle’s insurance card at the scene of one of the damaged mailboxes. The vehicle’s description on the card also matched a description given to deputies by an eyewitness. Deputies followed up on the leads and located the driver of the vehicle along with the other occupants of the vehicle that night.

On Wednesday, December 14, the four young men turned themselves in to the Dodge County jail after all of the arrest warrants were signed. The four (4) young men Kirby Brady Blalock (age 18), Olen William Hogan, Jr. (age 18), Brent Thomas Lee (age 18), and Christian Aaron Miller (age 19), all of Eastman, were arrested and charged each with thirty-five (35) counts of destroying/tearing down mailboxes. Each man was released on a $17,500 bond from the Dodge County jail.

Destroying/tearing down mailboxes is a misdemeanor in Georgia which could result in punishment of up to a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail on each count.

Dodge County rural mail carriers estimate that about eighty (80) mailboxes were damaged or destroyed throughout the county. Dodge County Sheriff Jeff Hinson stated that deputies consulted with the U.S. Postal Service on the investigation. Hinson stated that the home mailboxes were considered “personal property” and were not government owned “postal drop boxes”. Sheriff Hinson went on to say that there was no theft of mail and therefore the there would be no federal charges pursued by the postal service.

“It was a prank that got out of hand by these young men, sheriff Hinson said. “However, it upset and inconvenienced a lot of Dodge County Citizens who have had to replace their mailboxes. I am still receiving phone calls from the owners wanting their boxes replaced or paid for. The sheriff’s office has done our part and has referred the cases to the courts for possible restitution as the court may see fit.”

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#1 Anonymous on 12/22/11 at 09:44 AM [Reply]

Glad to see that they arrested these punks. My mailbox was one of those destroyed, and I hope this serves as a lesson for these kids to respect other people's property.

#2 Cherokee on 12/22/11 at 10:13 AM [Reply]

Make them pay for this stupid prank. They seemed to have nothing else better to do with their time. If they were so bored and wanted to tear down something,they should have gone into the woods around here and cut down trees that a landowner needed to be cut down.
This way they could have made some money rather than getting a criminal record and having to pay restitution

I hope the owners of this destroyed property push for a law to make it a federal offense if someone tampers or destroy a mailbox that is privately own. I thought tampering with mail was a federal offense so manybe if these guys get their charge upgraded to this they will then have been charged with a felony.

This is how teenagers start out to commit crimes and end up in the Adult Criminal Justice System for a major crime(murder,robbery,etc.) Parents seems to be loosing control,Why?

#2.1 Bulldog on 12/22/11 at 02:27 PM [Reply]

I am sure you did some crazy things when you were a teenage....Give them a break. They have apolgized and are replacing the mailboxes. I think they have learned a lesson from this.

#2.1.1 Cherokee on 12/22/11 at 08:31 PM [Reply]

Yeah,a matter of fact I did when I think of it. I went to work at the age of 16 and with my first paycheck,I went to the petstore and bought a monkey for $50. I named it Pixie,it was too hard for me to tame so I had to take it back to the petstore because I came home oneday from school, it had gotten out of it's cage and was swinging on the curtain rods with my mother was swinging the broom at it. I had to yell," mom please don't kill my monkey." She made me take it back and I cried like a baby for having to do so.

I am of a DIFFERENT GENERATION and knew better to be a menace to society because of the CONTROL PARENTS had THEN and that was an old fashion butt kicking.

#2.1.2 Anonymous on 12/22/11 at 09:54 PM [Reply]

the owners had to replace the mail boxes and IF they pursue it in court, it most likely will cost them more than the box is worth.
I have had to replace mine several times, now I buy the cheapest I can find, next time I will build a friggin brick wall around it.

#2.1.3 annoyed on 01/09/12 at 09:40 PM [Reply]

I know its kinda late to comment, but i'm actually disappointed that nothing more was done about this. Because nothing has been done these 4 "kids" (18-19) have been bragging about it on facebook and making jokes about how "if you go messing up mailboxes let me know." They didnt learn their lesson, and they wont if they go unpunished.

#2.1.3.1 Bulldog on 01/10/12 at 08:54 AM [Reply]

You waited to comment cause you know you lying..Get your facts straight. None of these young men have mentioned this on facebook. They have learned a lesson and you are just trying to start some crap.

#3 Jess Smith on 12/24/11 at 01:04 AM [Reply]

Great idea! How much would it cost us tax paying citizens to replace every mailbox in this country with a government paid for mailbox? Just so we could teach young pranksters a lesson by charging them with a federal offense?
These pranksters were caught, and will pay for the damages. What is wrong with people that want to throw a bunch of KIDS into a prison labeled a convicted felon because they damaged mailboxes? Do they want these kids thrown into a penal system to hang out with lets see... child molesters, armed robbers, killers? Geez
Tampering with mail is a federal offense. Bashing a mailbox is NOT!
I am sure if these kids parents are anything like me... those kids will surely pay more than just the cost of the mail boxes. And YES If I was one of these kids parents I'd smack their behinds. That does not mean I think they should be sent off to pay for it forever with a felony on their record.

#4 Anonymous on 12/27/11 at 01:32 PM [Reply]

I dont know why you ppl are arguing with Cherokee! If you read the news here very often you will know that nothing is ever done to satisfy this person and of course you would also know he/she is also perfect and knows everything!!!

#4.1 Cherokee on 12/31/11 at 06:30 PM [Reply]

Is that so? Your opinion is yours and mine is mine. I am thankful that we live in the USA where anyone can voice their opinion without being persecuted.
Some will agree with your opinion and some will not and when they don't, they still get a thumb up from the one that spoke the opinion because the speaker understands, that in this world it is not about who is right and who is perfect but a world of spoken words from both sides, as a form of human communication. No one is perfect but the Father himself, let us all remember this.

#4.2 Anonymous on 01/01/12 at 12:20 AM [Reply]

Tell the truth again! Soooooo TRUE!

#4.3 Anonymous on 01/02/12 at 11:03 PM [Reply]

I AGREE! It's pointless and a waste of time.

#5 H. Cain on 12/27/11 at 05:55 PM [Reply]

They should through the book at these THUGS! No exuses; they belong behind bar!

#6 Anonymous on 12/27/11 at 06:35 PM [Reply]

I was under the impression that these young men were 18 and 19. These are not kids!

#7 Anonymous on 12/28/11 at 12:09 PM [Reply]

please those who are without sin let them cast the first stone

#7.1 anon #2 on 12/28/11 at 07:23 PM [Reply]

how bout those who are without mailboxes? These were not 12 or 13 year old kids. 2 of them are in college on baseball scholarships...... 3 of them were until right after December.

#8 Jess Smith on 12/29/11 at 12:35 AM [Reply]

Last I read said they damaged the mailboxes... didn't say they stole them. Hope your grandkids never do something stupid at the age of 18-19 and have you people judging them. It's a mailbox for gosh-sakes. NOT A FELONY!

#9 anon #2 on 12/29/11 at 12:07 PM [Reply]

my grandkids respect other peoples property... they might as well have stole them. damaging them like the did they have to be replaced the same as if they stole them. let someone take one of those baseball bats to your truck or car and see how that feels. they didnt steal it, they only busted out your windows.... they only damaged it.........

#9.1 Anonymous on 12/29/11 at 02:00 PM [Reply]

Thats a JOKE! There is a FAR cry from a truck to a mail box!! But I carry ins for that so yep...just damaged! :) No ones kids/grandkids (even when they are young adults) are perfect...NOT EVEN YOURS! So when they do something you dont approve of just remember I TOLD YOU! Oh and I assume you'll want them thrown in jail!?
Yes they should have punishment but felony punishment and Im betting you will not get your wish on their punishment! PSH

#9.2 Bulldog on 12/30/11 at 11:14 AM [Reply]

You are not with your kids or grandkids every minute. You never know what they do when you are not around.

#10 Anonymous on 12/29/11 at 02:42 PM [Reply]

I was also told that there was drinking involved as well...that would mean that there was underage drinking involved as well as drinking and driving. Of course, they weren't caught that night so they won't be charged, but there is a little more involved than just bustin' up a couple of mailboxes. Also, there's a HUGE difference between destroying a handful of mailboxes and destroying 80+ mailboxes throughout the county. I'm not saying they should be thrown in jail, but please don't down-play the seriousness of what was done.

#10.1 Bulldog on 12/30/11 at 07:44 AM [Reply]

The 4 that were arrested didn't do all 80. There have been a lot more damaged since they were charged, the one's that are doing it now just haven't been caught yet.

#10.2 sam on 12/30/11 at 10:12 AM [Reply]

There is someone from Telfair doing it in Dodge also. They just have not been caught. The one's that were arrested only did a handful but are being charged with all that was reported that night which is really not right.

#11 tisk tisk on 12/30/11 at 12:23 AM [Reply]

Ok 80+++ .... Seriously and the police were busy doing what again? Shaking my head my my my ! I love DC!

#12 weman on 01/10/12 at 07:15 AM [Reply]

these kids have had it made all there life and think they can do whatever, they need to pay the price and do the time. take them down a few notches....

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