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Eastman Police Chief Becky Sheffield reported the following arrests by officers with her department during the week of July 3, 2018-July 10, 2018.

Mitchell Payne, age 32, of Eastman, was arrested for failure to appear.

Tabitha Spikes, age 40, of Eastman, was arrested with forgery in the first degree-other object.

Patrick Williams, age 42, of Eastman, was arrested with possession of drug-related object, possession of an ounce or less of marijuana and for an FTP bench warrant.

James Hughes, age 47, of Eastman, was arrested for an FTP bench warrant.

Bernard Butler, age 24, of Eastman, was arrested for probation violation.

Herschel White, age 33, of Eastman, was arrested for probation violation.

Jason Marshall, age 36, of Eastman, was arrested for probation violation.

Christopher Fordham, age 49, of Eastman, was arrested for probation violation.

Rickie Blackshear, age 37, of Eastman, was arrested for firearms, possession by convicted felon, littering, consuming alcohol in public, pedestrian under the influence and failure to appear.

Robin Dorsey, age 53, of Lumber City, was arrested for following too closely and leaving the scene of an accident with injury/damage.

Jasmine Harrow, age 25, o f Eastman, was arrested with forgery in the third degree.

Stewart Giddens, age 36, of Eastman, was arrested with possession drug-related object and possession of drugs-methamphetamine.

Brandon Lampkin, age 30, of Eastman, was arrested with possession of a drug-related object, possession of drugs-methamphetamines and theft by receiving stolen property $500 value or more.

Brandon Dykes, age 35, of Eastman, was arrested for driving while license suspended/revoked.

Miracles Ellis, age 19, of McRae, was arrested for speeding and driving while license suspended/revoked.

Tina Watts, age 45, of Eastman, was arrested on a bench warrant.
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Jayme Michael Fordham, a former Dodge County teacher and coach, was sentenced recently on two counts of sexual battery as a result of charges of child molestation and computer pornography that occurred in Dodge County.

According to documents released from the case and sentencing, Fordham was sentenced to a total of 10 years, with the first two and half years to be served in confinement and the remainder to be served on probation.

Though the offense occurred somewhere between May 1, 2016 and June 30, 2016, Fordham, at first, pled not guilty to the charges against him on March 21, 2017. On May 22, 2018, Fordham changed his plea to guilty to both counts of sexual battery.

As per the inventory of special conditions of probation regarding Fordham, the following will hold true: (1) Fordham is sentenced under the provisions of the probation management act sentencing options system; (2) Fordham will have to submit to a search of person, residences, papers, vehicle and/or effects at any time of day or night without a search warrant whenever requested to do so by a probation officer or other law enforcement officer upon reasonable cause to believe that Fordham is in violation of probation or otherwise acting in violation of the law, and

Fordham shall specifically consent to the use of anything seized as evidence in any judicial proceedings or trial; (3) Fordham will have to produce upon oral or written request by a Probation Officer, a law enforcement officer or official of a Georgia Department of Health and Safety approved substance abuse or mental health provider personnel a breath, saliva, urine and/or blood specimen for analysis for the presence of drugs including alcohol, and Fordham shall waive evidentiary foundation for admissibility of the laboratory results.
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After naming Tony Anderson as the lone finalist in the search for someone to fill the role of Dodge County school superintendent last week, the Dodge County Board of Education recanted its decision.

During a phone interview with The Dodge County News on Monday, June 25, 2018, Dodge County School Board Vice-Chairman Jessie Mincey said, “The Dodge County Board of Education and Mr. Anderson couldn’t come to terms on a contract.”

A meeting of the board is set for Wednesday, June 27. Mincey said during the phone interview, “This will be to discuss and do follow up interviews with the other candidates…and we have several as of right now.”

He said they would also need to consider naming an interim school superintendent on Wednesday. When asked if there were any interim candidates in mind, Mincey didn’t comment. He did say that the board could decide on someone within the system or someone “who has been here before.” Later on Monday, The Dodge County News confirmed that a list of candidates for interim superintendent was being compiled so that the board could make a decision vote on an interim on Wednesday.

The need for a superintendent came after current Dodge County School Superintendent Mike Hilliard made the surprise announcement in May that he would be retiring and that June 30, 2018 would be his last day. Hilliard made this announcement approximately seven days after the board presented him with an increase in his salary and a new contract.
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The Dodge County Board of Education, at its meeting on Thursday, June 14 selected a lone finalist in its search for a new school superintendent.

Upon coming out of a second closed session, the board voted on a recommendation from Robert Peacock to consider William Anthony ‘Tony’ Anderson the finalist.

Robert Peacock, David Yawn, Mark Driggers, chairman Ricky Hargrove and vice-chairman Jessie Mincey voted to approve the recommendation after Peacock seconded the motion. Roscoe Bennett abstained from the vote, and Shirley Ikedionwu voted no.

Ikedionwu said, “I just feel like this is too fast a decision to make for such an important decision.”

“The board interviewed five good candidates for the superintendent position,” Hargrove stated. “After deliberating on the candidates, the majority of the board thought it was best because of the short time we had before Mr. Hilliard’s retirement that we go ahead and name one finalist for the position.”

Current school superintendent Mike Hilliard presented his request for retirement to be effective at the end of this month to the board during the month of May. His retirement came just a few short days after Hilliard’s new contract had been renewed, which included a raise a pay.

Hargrove continued, “Mr. Anderson was voted as the finalist. I look forward to working with Mr. Anderson as a leadership team to forward the Dodge County school system.”

Anderson currently serves as the director of Human Resources and Personnel, the Title II Coordinator and the Teacher Keys Effective System (TKES) and Leader Keys Effective System (LKES) Coordinator for the Brooks County School System.

Many in Dodge County will remember Anderson during his seven-year term as a coach, teacher and driver education instructor at the Dodge County High School.

As of presstime Tuesday, no contract offer had been made to Anderson.
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Two Eastman doctors, Dr. Mark Griffis and Dr. John A. Glenn, Jr., have been found guilty in a federal court of conspiracy to falsify United States Department of Transportation Department mandated medical examinations of holders of commercial driver’s license with the intent to impede the proper administration of matters within the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Transportation.

Earlier this year, in separate court rulings, the United States District Court, Southern District of Georgia, indicted both men on one count of conspiracy. Griffis also had one count of falsification of records, where Glenn had two counts of falsification against him.

Griffis appeared in U.S. court June 4-6, 2018. He was found guilty on both counts against him. According to R. Brian Tanner, chief of the appellate division with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, Griffis was “adjudicated guilty of the second count against after the jury returned a guilty verdict on that one.”

Tanner explained, “That means only that he is officially found guilty. It does not involve any sentence. The sentencing only happens at a later scheduled date, after the preparation of a Pre-Sentence Investigation Report.”

According to the indictments given to Griffis from the U.S. Grand Jury, from a date at least as early as February 27, 2012 and continuing thereafter until September 13, 2013, in Dodge and Telfair counties, and elsewhere within the Southern District of Georgia, Griffis did knowingly falsify medical examination reports and certifications by signing his name indicating that he had examined various commercial driver’s license holders, and certified them as medically sound (qualified) to continued to hold such license.

It was stated in the indictment that Griffis provided J.C.W. with blank, pre-signed medical examination reports (MERs) and examination certificates (MECs) that could be used by J.C.W. when she conducted purported medical examinations of CDL holders.

Between January 10, 2013 and September 24, 2013, the indictment stated that Griffis received payments of at least $5,200.00 from J.C.W. in exchange for falsifying the documents.

Around September 13, 2013, Griffis, the court document stated, did knowingly falsify documents, to wit, a MER and MEC, pertaining to a DOT mandated medical examination of a person known to the grand jury, and having the initials D.D., the holder of a commercial driver’s license, to allow D.D. to renew his commercial driver’s license without a proper medical examination.

After the guilty verdicts were passed, Griffis was remanded into the custody of U.S. Marshals. Tanner stated that Griffis will be “detained” in prison until a sentencing hearing will take place. During this time period, which could be anywhere from six to eight weeks, Griffis’ attorney will have the opportunity to challenge the convictions by providing documentation for appeals for the conviction.
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The Eastman Police Department responded to the Evergreen Circle Subdivision on Wednesday, May 30, 2018. They were called to a residence in Evergreen Circle where a vehicle was entered and a rifle and a 9 mm pistol were missing. After a short while, others in the neighborhood reported their vehicles had also been entered.

During the investigation, the Eastman Police Department, along with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, recovered three handguns and a rifle that had been stolen from the vehicles.

Arrested and charged with entering the autos was Bernoski Shawnquarious White, age 20, of Eastman. White was charged with 16 counts of entering an auto, participation in gang activity, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during a crime and theft by taking.

Three juveniles, all age 15, were also arrested and charged with 16 counts of entering an auto, participation in gang activity, possession of a firearm during a crime and theft by taking.

Eastman police also reported the following arrest for June 1, 2018 – June 5, 2018.

Resheena Nicely, age 32, of Eastman was arrested for have no insurance and pedestrian under the influence.

Johnathan Murray, age 24, of Eastman was arrested for probation violation.

Warren Seegars, age 31, of Eastman was arrested for obstructing law enforcement officers, terroristic threats and acts, disorderly conduct, aggravated assault - other weapon and criminal trespass - business.
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On Friday, June 1, the 199 members of Dodge County High School’s (DCHS) Class of 2018 will celebrate personal and academic achievements by walking across the stage and receiving diplomas at Memorial Stadium.

The graduating class of DCHS includes 199 students, 51 earning the title of Honor Graduate and being awarded a gold stole. These students, over the course of their four years in high school, have taken two units of the same foreign language, a half unit of computer applications, a half unit of speech, and have earned a cumulative academic average of 94 or higher. Additionally, students who do not have a 94 average but have maintained a 90 average and have scored 1185 or higher on the verbal and math sections on the SAT, or 26 or better on the ACT, will also have the distinction of graduating with honors.

Receiving additional academic honors with distinction will be the class’s top four students. Lane Barrows will graduate top of her class and will be recognized as co-valedictorian with Christian Grauberger, who has earned the distinction of second in his class. Michelle Zhang has earned the honor of being third in the graduating class of 2018 and serves as co-salutatorian with the fourth graduate of the Class of 2018, Jacob Snyder.
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Thursday night’s meeting of the Dodge County Board of Education brought a surprise to the agenda when Dodge County School Superintendent Mike Hilliard announced his upcoming retirement as superintendent.

Dodge County Board of Education Chairman Ricky Hargrove confirmed that Hilliard had approached the board with his retirement announcement. According to Hargrove, Hilliard had just signed his new contract seven days prior to the meeting on Thursday.

Hargrove said that Hilliard told the board that he felt he needed to retire for health reasons and family issues.

“His last day will be June 30, 2018,” Hargrove said. Hilliard has served as superintendent for two years. “He has done a good job, and we wish him all the best.”

The board went ahead and opened up the position of school superintendent.

A call was placed to Hilliard on Friday by The Dodge County News. He returned the call, and did confirm his retirement, and said he would discuss his retirement decision at a later date.

Also at the meeting, Hargrove said the board presented the due process policy for teachers on the table. The document presented read as an open letter to the Dodge County teachers in regards to the Dodge County Board of Education’s intent to offer teachers in the school system a procedure for an appeal of if the board decides not to offer a contract of employment to a teacher.

The letter and document can be found on the Dodge County School System website.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office reports the following arrests:

Michael Barlow, age 20, of Danville, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession and use of drug related objects.

Meagan Nicole Brock, age 23, of Eastman, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession and use of drug related objects and crossing state or county guard lines with weapons, intoxicants or drugs without consent.

Itzel Vite Espinose, age 25, of Eastman was arrested for speeding and expired or no driver’s licenses.

Charlie Facison, age 56, of Milan, was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while unlicensed and failure to maintain lane.

Sharell Shenna Moore, age 31, of Eastman, was arrested for a probation violation.

Erin Elizabeth Mullis, age 28, of Eastman was arrested for trafficking in cocaine, illegal drugs, marijuana or methamphetamine, possession and use of drug related objects and crossing state or county guard lines with weapons, intoxicants or drugs without consent.

Chasity NeSmith, age 45, of Eastman, was arrested for two counts crossing state or county guard lines with weapons, intoxicants or drugs without consent and possession and use of drug related objects .

Demetrius Tajai Oliver, age 24, of McRae, was arrested for unlawful possession, control, manufacturing, deliver, distribute, dispense, administer, purchase, sell or manufacture, deliver, distribute, administer, sell, posses with intent to distribute controlled substances and speeding.

James Burrel Patterson, age 50, of Eastman, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine.

Michael Patterson, age 31, of Eastman, was arrested for probation violation and possession of methamphetamine.

Jarvis Tillman, age 26, of Cochran, was arrested for a probation violation.

Justin Taylor Wilcox, age 27, of Eastman, was arrested for possession and use of drug related objects, trafficking in cocaine, illegal drugs, marijuana or methamphetamine and possession of a schedule IV controlled substance.
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Dodge County Sheriff Lynn Sheffield reports that the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a missing four year old child on May 5, 2018. The child was reported missing from the area of the Albert Lampkin Road at approximately 6:00 p.m.

The child is believed to have wandered into a nearby wooded area after his grandfather stepped into his residence for a moment. The grandfather also reported that a dog was also missing from the residence. At 6:00 a.m. the child was located approximately one mile from the residence in a wooded area by community volunteers. Dodge County EMS was called in to evaluate the child for any injuries with none reported.

Sheriff Sheffield would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those involved with this search including Dodge County deputies, Eastman Police Department, The Georgia State Patrol, The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, The American Red Cross, the Telfair County Sheriff’s Office Canine Unit, Chauncey Fire Department Canine Unit, the numerous volunteer firefighters from across Dodge County and all the civilian volunteers from the community who assisted with the search for the missing juvenile.

Special thank you is given to the Jeff Davis Emergency Management Agency for sending a response team to help with interagency coordination. Sheriff Sheffield states that in times of crisis, it is great to see our communities pull together to support each other!

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office announces the following arrests:

Shayna Nichole Allen, age 26, of Chester, was arrested for a probation violation.

Wayne Anthony Allen, age 49, of Rhine, was arrested for possession of open alcohol container and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Kenneth Bennett, age 35, of Dodge County, was arrested for simple battery.

Clayton Ted Brantley, age 31, of Eastman, was arrested for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute.

Wille F. Bryant, age 38, of Eastman, was arrested for a bench warrant.

Thomas Alfonso Chambers, age 47, of Eastman, was arrested for a parole violation.

Michael Lee Chatting, age 27, of Eastman, was arrested for a probation violation.

Steven Forrest Johnson, age 27, of Eastman, was arrested for probation violation.

Wendy Jones, age 36, of Guyton, was arrested for financial transaction card theft and financial transactions card fraud.

Leslie Liles, age 44, of Eastman, was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and driving on the wrong side of the road.
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Arrests have been made in connection with the murder of a Dodge County couple. On April 25th, law enforcement officers served arrest warrants for murder on Gary Pennamon, age 17, Kojak Thomas, Jr., age 19, and a 16 year old male, all of Eastman. Also charged with murder was a 16-year-old male from Chester. Alijah Shamir Pennamon, age 19, of Eastman, was charged with one count of theft by receiving stolen property. Additional charges are expected.

On Wednesday morning, April 25, a Dodge County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a welfare check at the residence of Everett Williams, age 60, and his wife Jain Williams, age 65, located on Chester-Alamo Highway near Chester. The deputy discovered Everett and Jain Williams inside, deceased, with suspected gunshot wounds. It was also determined that property was missing from the residence, including the couple’s car. The welfare check was requested by a neighbor who had not seen the Williams since Sunday, April 22nd. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) assist in the investigation.
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The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office reported the following arrests from April 11, 2018 through April 20, 2018.

James Robert Brophy, age 48, was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine; possession of marijuana; driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol; failure to maintain lane and possession of firearm or knife during the commission of or attempt to commit certain felonies.

Lance Prentice Gilbert, age 41, was arrested for parole violation.

Jermain Hughes, age 28, was arrested and charged with possession of a Schedule III controlled substance; possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance; possession of firearm or knife during commission of or attempt to commit certain felonies; trafficking in cocaine, illegal drugs, marijuana or methamphetamine; possession of marijuana with intent and use of firearm by a convicted felon during the commission of a crime.

Jerod Hughes, age 28, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana with intent; trafficking in cocaine, illegal drugs, marijuana or methamphetamine; possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance and possession of a Schedule III controlled substance.

Erica Miller, age 21, was arrested and charged with trafficking in cocaine, illegal drugs, marijuana or methamphetamine; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; possession of a Schedule III controlled substance; possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance and possession of firearm or knife during the commission of or attempt to commit certain felonies.

Will Levi Mullis, age 22, was arrested and charged with reckless driving and DUI, refusal.

Kymberly Reshaye Swars, age 28, was arrested for probation violation.

Mark Adams, age 45, of East Dublin, was arrested for probation violation.

John Edward Barnes, age 52, of Lumber City, was arrested for a bench warrant.

Benjamin Zachary Brantley, age 22, of Eastman was arrested and charged with cruelty to children, allowing child to witness felony and/or battery and/or family violence, third degree and simple battery, family violence.

Ean Brown, age 24, of Stone Mountain, was arrested for probation violation.

Corey Hughes, age 26, of Eastman, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and probation violation.

Barbara Joiner, age 61, of Vidalia, was arrested for probation violation.
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Three Dodge County teenagers were injured when the truck they were riding in hit an embankment and overturned.

According to the Georgia State Patrol report, Jordan Wayne Morgan, age 17, of Eastman, was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado north on Log Cabin Road near the intersection of Rack Lane. Morgan was driving too fast for conditions and lost control of the truck after striking a rise in the roadway.

The truck began to “fish tail” and ended up hitting an embankment on the left side of the roadway. The truck then began to overturn, ejecting all three occupants of the vehicle.

Morgan and a passenger, Braydon Stokes, age 15, of Eastman were taken to Dodge County Hospital by Dodge County Emergency Medical Services. Another passenger, Kacyn Monroe, age 17, of Milan, was taken to Navicent Health in Macon by Air Evac helicopter.

The accident occurred at approximately 7:20 p.m. on Friday, April 13.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department reported the following arrests from April 2, 2018 through April 8, 2018.

Antermirrow Deon Smith, age 36, of Helena, was arrested for probation violation.

Joshua Bray, age 34, of Eastman was arrested for suspended license; fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and obstructing or hindering law enforcement officers.

Ario’n Devonte Williams age 22, of Eastman, was arrested for reckless driving and speeding in excess of maximum limits.

The Eastman Police Department made the following arrests from April 9, 2018 through April 17, 2018.

Sonya Spires, age 41, of Eastman was arrested and charged for non-residential burglary, no forced entry and violation of bond conditions.

Willie Cleveland, age 59, of Abbeville, was arrested and charged for theft of lost or mislaid property.
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