Fire Ruled Arson; Public’s Help Needed

Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King has announced that a fire off Lakeshore Drive in Monticello has been ruled an act of arson.

The fire occurred at 485 Lakeshore Drive around 5:20 a.m. on Thursday, December 3.

“On Thursday morning, a neighbor called 911 about a fire at this 38-year-old, 1,248-square-foot mobile home in Monticello,” said Commissioner King. “Water and power were cut off from this property at the time of the fire. Another neighbor had previously helped to lock the windows and doors of the home at the request of its out-of-town owner.”

State investigators and the Jasper County Fire Department determined the fire was intentionally set in a rear bedroom.

Anyone with information about this fire is encouraged to call Commissioner King’s State Fire Investigations Unit at 1-800-282-5804. This 24-hour tip line is anonymous.

As reported last week, GBI Special Agents from the Georgia Cyber Crime Center charged Edward Porter Allen, III, 68 years old, for the offense of Computer Theft relating to the theft of approximately $46,000 from the city of Monticello. In May of 2019, the GBI was requested by the Jasper County Sheriff to assist in the investigation of a cyber related theft targeting the City of Monticello.

The subsequent investigation revealed that the proceeds of the cyber crime had been deposited into Mr. Allen’s bank account in Sarasota, Fla. before a portion of the proceeds were transferred out of the U.S.

Arrest warrants were secured for Mr. Allen in October of 2020 and he was arrested in Florida and extradited to Jasper County. Mr. Allen went to court Tuesday, and was given a $10m,000 cash bond. He is expected to be released from the Jasepr County Detention Center by this printing.

The incident was isolated to the theft of funds and did not involve any compromise of personal identifying information (PII) from the City of Monticello.

Deputies responded to several accidents in the last week, including a fatal accident on Hwy. 16 at Fellowship Road Sunday night.

They also responded to burglaries in downtown Monticello.

Persons arrested in the last week, and their charges, include:

•Francis Godfrey Leverette, 53, Monticello—driving while license suspended or revoked, no insurance, driving with suspended registration and windshield violation.

•Kenneth Darnell James, 55, Monticello—burglary-2nd degree, criminal damage property-2nd degree, possession or use of drug related objects, possession of cocaine and probation violation.

•Jarron McKnight, 33, Covington—forgery-1st degree and giving false name, address or birthday to law enforcement personnel.

•Michael Laverne Hinds, 48, Clarkston—driving without a valid license.

•Mario Perez Bautista, 21, Monticello—driving while license suspended or revoked, open container and speeding.

•Clayton Scott Hardy, 26, Monticello— probation violation.

•Cameron Brent Moss, 25, Monticello—probation violation.