Another County Employee Is Charged with Theft

Dawn Michelle Raynor, 39, of Newborn, an employee in Jasper County Probate Court for the past seven years turned herself in to the Jasper County Detention Center last Friday after a warrant was issued for her arrest. She is now out on a $5,000 bond.

Ms. Raynor is charged with felony theft by taking after Probate Judge Linda Keller discovered some inconsistencies in some traffic reports she was reviewing. She called on Sheriff Donnie Pope who summoned the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to look into it.

Joe Wooten,with the GBI said that Ms. Raynor was responsible for taking in fines for tickets, and she had converted roughly $1,000 worth of cash fines paid.

Judge Keller said the violation took place from mid-May to mid-July, and five tickets on four defendants were found in found to have irregularities. She said she checked the books back until last October, and found no other signs of misappropriation. Judge Keller said more safeguards to prevent this from happening again had already been put in place. Ms. Raynor resigned from her job before the allegations came to light. Previously, in June, the county’s Planning & Zoning Director, Sherry Braley, was charged with theft of county funds.

Other criminal incidents investigated in the last week include the theft of a cargo trailer from Jasper County High School. Deputies were also asked to investigate a case of identity fraud, and a case of theft by deception. A resident on Benton Street reported the theft of a telephone, and a resident on Herring Gull Ct. reported the theft of a bicycle.

{{more}}

A resident in Hunter’s Ridge reported the theft of an AC unit and household items such as a bathroom sink, cabinet and shower head. Persons arrested in the last week, in addition to Ms. Raynor, include

•Christopher Jim Yawn, 37, Newborn—cruelty to children and battery.

•Marcus Antonio Brown, 37, Covington—hold for warrant in Rockdale Co.

•Miranda Nichole Gore, 18, Covington—sale of methamphetamine.

•Jeffery Scott Almand, 18, Covington—sale of methamphetamine.

•Shelby Leigh Kirk, 23, Covington—sale of methamphetamine.

•Malcom Jamal Smith, 25, Monticello—probation violation.

•Marchinlo Alexander Wyman, 46, Monticello—simple assault, criminal trespass and probation violation.

•Terry Durand Brown, 40, Covington—probation violation.

•Kenneth Anthony Thurman, 52, Monticello—public drunkenness.

•Brian Malone Cunard, 28, Mansfield—criminal trespass and stalking.

•Damien Antoine Parham, 34, Monticello—probation violation.

•Justin Michael Manning, 28, Oxford—probation violation.

•Timothy James Landress, Jr., 30, Monticello—obstruction of a law enforcement officer and maintaining a disorderly house.

•Jacob Christian Gaddis, 21, Conyers—pedestrian under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

•Damian Kendell Cloud, 23, Shady Dale—child support.

•Mario Andreas Smith, 34, Newborn—child support.