Former Telfair Sheriff To Prison For Three Years

For the third time a sheriff from Telfair County is headed to prison. Jim Williamson was sentenced to three years behind bars Thursday after pleading guilty to fraud. Following the sentencing he was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.

According to court testimony Williams collected fines that were never paid to the county’s probate court and kept $5,000 seized in a traffic stop. He was facing up to 20 years.

This is the third time a sheriff from Telfair County has gone to prison. In 1994 former Sheriff Ronnie Walker was sentenced to ten years for protecting marijuana growers. Walker's uncle and predecessor, Jack Walker, was also sentenced on racketeering charges while sheriff in Telfair County.

Discrimination suit against sheriff's officials

In northeast Georgia, a discrimination lawsuit against sheriff's officials will go forward. The Athens Banner Herald reports arbitration has failed between officials with Oconee County's sheriff's office and the plaintiff, Michelle McClung. McClung's federal lawsuit claims she was passed over for three promotions because of her gender, and then faced retaliation after her lawsuit.

Sheriff pleads guilty to bilking funds

A south Georgia sheriff has pleaded guilty in Savannah to federal bank and wire fraud charges. Jeff Davis County Sheriff Jimmy Boatright sobbed and dabbed his eyes with tissue as he entered his plea today in U.S. District Court. Prosecutors charged the 54-year-old sheriff last month with using money for a children's drug education program to buy himself a $2,100 television. Boatright also was charged with using a pickup truck seized from a drug suspect as collateral to secure a bank loan. Boatright resigns the office he's held for nearly 16 years.

County seeks protection from sheriff

A suburban Atlanta county is seeking protection from its sheriff. Clayton County attorneys accuse Sheriff Victor Hill of objectionable actions, policies and practices. The filing seeks to protect the county from potential legal liability and damage to its reputation as a result of Hill's actions. Hill abruptly fired more than two dozen sheriff's department workers in 2005. Hill has defended his actions, saying he inherited a dysfunctional organization.

Richmond County Sheriff's Deputies

The sheriff of east Georgia's Richmond County doesn't want to lose his deputies to better-paying jobs. He's asking county commissioners to help fund a pay raise. It's an issue counties across Georgia grapple with. New sheriff's deputies in Richmond County often make just under $29,000 a year. That's less than most counties of a comparable size in Georgia. Terry Norris is a vice president of the Georgia Sheriff's Association. He says police officers across the state struggle to make ends meet. "Most of these officers must take on other additional special jobs in the law enforcement field just to feed their families," he said. Richmond County sheriff Ronald Strength says deputies are leaving for better pay at the state highway patrol and the Atlanta police department. He has asked county commissioners for $2.5 million dollars to increase pay. That money would mean a $4000 pay raise for all deputies.

Camden County sheriff sued

Camden County’s sheriff is being sued by county commissioners—-at issue is confiscated drug money that he refused to give control to, and which commissioners say he spent unlawfully. A civil petition has been filed against Sheriff Bill Smith, asking for an order to transfer complete control over all seized asset accounts to commissioners. The petition is also asking for an order to prevent Smith from spending any money from the accounts. Money in the accounts totaled 1.6 million dollars last year. The sheriff has 30 days to respond in court.

Three law officers face charges

A Georgia sheriff faces allegations of trying cover up a shooting. Towns County Sheriff Rudy Eller has admitted to lying to Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents about the July 9th shooting in Hiawassee, along the North Carolina border. The GBI says Eller pretended not to know anything about it, when in fact his Chief Deputy was responsible and told him about it. Investigators say Eller was protecting his Chief Deputy, who had fired shots into the home of his wife’s lover. Towns County Chief Deputy Eddie Osborn and another deputy are charged in the shooting.