Crime

Principal arrested in GBI child sex sting

Submitted by Duffie Dixon, 11Alive Reporter

Monday, March 3rd, 2014, 8:31pm

Principal arrested in GBI child sex sting

DECATUR, Ga. -- An elementary school principal is among 14 people the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested in a sting operation targeting suspected child predators.

Dr. John McGill, principal of Mt. Carmel Elementary in Douglasville, is being held in the DeKalb County Jail. He has been suspended from his position. He is due in court for his first appearance Tuesday.

11Alive's Blayne Alexander reports that the Douglas County School System superintendent announced on Monday that Dr. Sandra Williams will serve as interim principal of the school effective March 10. Williams is a retired former principal of the school. The central office will handle administrative duties until Williams arrives.

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Wednesday, February 5th, 2014, 8:01am

Cherokee school board member to be in court

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. -- Cherokee County School Board member Kelly Marlow will have a court hearing at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

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Marlow was arrested last year when she accused superintendent Frank Petruzielo of threatening her and trying to run her over with his car after a board meeting. She and Petruzielo had been feuding for months about the way the school system is run.

A Cherokee County Grand Jury indicted Marlow in October on four counts of making false statements.

Two co-defendants -- Barbara Knowles and Robert Trim -- also face charges. They are accused of filing a false police report and making false statements when they alleged Petruzielo tried to run over Marlow.

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Thursday, December 5th, 2013, 10:36am

PELHAM, Ala. -- Investigators believe two men arrested in Alabama last month are responsible for multiple car break-ins in metro Atlanta.

Oscar Moses Badger, 37, and Bobby Hanna, 24, were arrested Nov. 14 in Pelham, Ala. Police said they were caught trying to break into a car in a daycare center parking lot. They led Alabama authorities on a brief chase, but were soon captured.

Cherokee County (Ga.) Sheriff's Lt. Jay Baker said investigators believe Badger and Hanna are behind at least six car break-ins at local parks and daycare centers in early November.

They may also be responsible for thefts in Gwinnett County and Peachtree City, Baker said.

Badger and Hanna are both from south Florida. At their time of their Alabama arrest, they were out of jail on bond for similar crimes in Pennsylvania and Texas. Because of this, they are being held on $2 million bond.

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Tuesday, November 26th, 2013, 10:14am

Video shows robbers smashing jewelry display case

CANTON, Ga. -- Two suspects are accused of robbing a Cherokee County jewelry store at gunpoint and smashing a glass display case in the process.

The entire incident was caught on store surveillance video.

The robbery happened last Friday morning at Cartersville Jewelry Exchange on Riverstone Parkway in Canton.

Canton Police Officer Pacer Cordry said two suspects entered the store and pointed handguns at employees.

One of the suspects smashed a glass display case and may have stolen some of the merchandise inside, according to Cordry.

The suspects left the store in a dark green Ford F-150. A witness followed the truck on southbound Interstate 575 and into the nearby Hidden Creek subdivision, where the suspects abandoned the vehicle. Cordry said police later determined the truck was stolen in Atlanta.

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2013, 7:13am

Several car break-ins reported in Cherokee County

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. -- Police are asking Cherokee County residents to be vigilant after at least five car break-ins occurred in the northern portion of the county Monday.

In all five incidents, a suspect or suspects smashed a window and took a purse from inside the car, according to Cherokee County Sheriff's Lt. Jay Baker.

Four of the smash and grabs occurred in Cherokee County, while one was within the Holly Springs city limits. Locations include BridgeMill Animal Hospital in Canton, Hickory Flat UMC, Mt. Zion Baptist Church and two daycare centers.

Baker said police believe the suspects can perform their crimes in a matter of seconds. They may be driving a silver four-door passenger car.

Anyone with information about the smash and grabs is asked to call 911.

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Thursday, October 17th, 2013, 6:15pm

20 starving pets rescued, owner arrested

BALL GROUND, Ga. -- A Cherokee County man has been charged with 20 counts of animal cruelty after several emaciated dogs were found on his property.

Rud Tietjen, 55, was arrested Wednesday by officers with the Cherokee County Marshal's Office.

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Marshal's spokesperson Alexa Huston said investigators were called to Tietjen's Ball Ground home after receiving a complaint about constant barking and terrible smells coming from the property.

Officers found 19 purebred dogs -- five Great Pyrenees and 14 Shelties -- in Tietjen's possession. They also rescued one cat.

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Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Thursday, October 3rd, 2013, 11:29am

Man arrested for illegal weapons collection

CANTON, Ga. -- A Cherokee County man was arrested Wednesday for having a number of illegal weapons in his home.

Joseph Poss, 58, was charged with firearm possession by a convicted felon, possession of fully automatic weapons and possession of illegally altered weapons.

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Cherokee County Sheriff's Lt. Jay Baker said agents with the Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad (CMANS) seized 46 weapons from the suspect's Canton home. At least eight of the guns were fully automatic assault weapons.

Investigators also found three military pyrotechnic devices in the home, Baker said.

The house was searched after CMANS agents received an anonymous call about drugs inside. Baker said police did not find any drugs, but stumbled upon the cache of weapons during their search.

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