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Sheriff's office employees lauded
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Liberty County Sheriff Steve Sikes on Thursday at the justice center presented detectives Capt. Dennis Davis, Frank McLeland, James Chapman, Charles Woodall, Tracy Jenning and Shane Breazier (not pictured) with letters of commendation for their work.

Liberty County Sheriff Steve Sikes recognized several of his deputies and detectives Thursday when he handed out letters of commendation and meritorious-service awards during a brief ceremony at the justice center.
“Sheriff Sikes is really big about recognizing all the long hours and hard work the deputies and detectives put in for the department,” said Chief Deputy Keith Moran, who assisted Sikes in handing out the certificates and letters.
Sgt. Ralph Dixson and Cpl. Michelle Poertner received letters of commendation for outstanding duty performance.
Sikes said the deputies were on regular patrol June 21 when they were dispatched to a burglary in progress on Briar Bay Road in Riceboro. Usually, by the time authorities arrive at a call, Sikes said, the odds of nabbing a suspect at the scene aren’t great, but Dixson and Poertner’s swift response resulted in the apprehension of the suspect and the recovery of the stolen property.
“I know how much the victim of a crime must appreciate your dedication and hard work, and it is my pleasure to commend you on a job well done,” Sikes said.
Capt. Dennis Davis, Detective Charles Woodall, Detective James Chapman, Detective Tracy Jennings, Detective Frank McLeland and Cpl. Shane Brazier also received letters of commendation.
“It’s never a single effort by one person — there are always people behind the scenes, and this is a letter of commendation for a group of people involved in a murder and robbery investigation,” Moran said.
In January, LCSO deputies and detectives responded to a reported stabbing. The preliminary investigation, led by Detective James Chapman, alleged that Terry Floyd Jr. attempted to buy marijuana from Trevon Walthour, who reportedly tried to rob Floyd of $600. A struggle ensued and Walthour reportedly stabbed Floyd to death. Two accomplices either assisted in the robbery, murder or tampered with evidence, according to the investigation. Within 72 hours, each suspect had been identified and arrested.
“It is without a doubt that we have some of the most outstanding detectives in the state of Georgia,” Sikes said. “I want to personally thank each of you for your dedication and hard work.”
In addition to his letter of commendation, Chapman received a meritorious service award.
“James came to us with a great deal of experience after working over in Albany, Ga. … Every place does things different, and a murder investigation involves boxes (of evidence), but in my experience, I have never read such a thorough and complete case file — especially involving a detective that has been with us for only a short period of time,” Moran said.
“Detective Chapman’s excellent organizational skills and meticulous efforts have resulted in an outstanding investigation that demonstrates his dedication and devotion to duty,” Sikes added.
Detective Julie Hibbeler also received a meritorious-service award for her work resulting in the arrest of two suspects for burglary and criminal damage at Midway Middle School in January.
“After documenting thousands of dollars in needless vandalism, Detective Hibbeler meticulously pursued every possible lead to solve this difficult investigation,” Sikes said. “Her abilities as a detective set the standard for her peers and subordinates. She is a credit to her profession.”
Deputy Dennis Abbgy earned a meritorious-service award for going above and beyond regular duty.
Between December 2011 and July 2012, Abbgy has effected more felony arrests than any other deputy in recent history, and Sikes said his attention to detail and patrol techniques generated an investigation into a methamphetamine-manufacturing operation. Two felony marijuana arrests were made — one of which was a prison employee allegedly smuggling contraband to inmates. A burglary arrest also was made, and stolen property was recovered.
“Plain and simple, I am proud to be sheriff of Liberty County because of you guys right here,” Sikes said. “It’s a big job and sometimes overwhelming, but if we all stick together and focus on the same goals, we can make a better Liberty County, and I really appreciate each and every one of you.”


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HPD Reports
crime scene

From Hinesville Police Department reports. Editor’s note: Due to computer issues at the city, reports have been unavailable in recent weeks. They are back. Our thanks to the HPD clerks who provide them. We’re catching up as quickly as possible.

Burglary, etc: A man called 911 on Feb. 27 because he was watching his White Circle home getting burglarized. The man said his alarm system had an app that showed live video on his phone, and he was “viewing three males inside his residence,” as he talked to 911.
Police responded, caught two of them inside the house and found the third guy “hiding behind a tree,” the report said.
Detectives are investigating.

Public indecency: An officer was sent to Lowes around 4:30 p.m. March 12 in reference to a disturbance involving a man and a woman.
The woman, a Lowe’s employee, said she had just got back from her lunch break when she saw the man “looking around at items on a shelf.”
The woman said she asked him if he needed help finding anything and he held up something, then said “I have found everything I need,” the report said. “(he) then placed his arms around (the employee) to hug her and then kissed (her) neck. (She) then moved away from (him) and told him to have a nice day and attempted to walk away from (the man). (He) then began to follow (her), stating ‘I would lick you up and down’ and ‘you better hide in an office.’ (She) then spoke with manager and called 911.’”
The man told police he thought he recognized the woman “and stated to me that he had previously had a relationship with her approximately two years ago. (He) was unable to recall (her) name while on scene.”
The woman told police “she has never seen, nor spoken to (the man) before today.”
The woman was given a case number and told what to do. The man was allowed to leave.

Indecent exposure: A Berkshire Terrace man reported he went outside his house around 6:40 a.m. and “observed a man who appeared to be intoxicated, peeing on his truck and trailer.”
The complainant said the man “fully exposed his penis while he was peeing. When (complainant) asked him to stop the man told him to ‘shut the (bleep) up.’ (Complainant) advised the man he would call police. (Complainant) advised his young son was standing outside during the incident. He said the man got into a 1996 black Buick and drove away, almost hitting cars that were parked in the driveway.”
The complainant said he did not want to press charges, “he said he wanted to report the incident because the man did not stop peeing when he asked him too.”
The complainant said he’d seen the man before “come and go” from a nearby apartment. The officer met with the resident of that apartment, who said the man was a cousin and did not pee on the complainant’s trailer.

Identity theft: A man went to HPD on March 21 to report that when he went to get a driver’s history for a commercial driver’s license, he found several citations on the history that weren’t his. “(He) stated he noticed someone was issued four citations in Arkansas and one citation in Jacksonville, Florida,” and during the time the Arkansas tickets were written he was in locked up in Georgia.
“(He) advised that he was not incarcerated when the citation in Jacksonville, Florida was issued but he was not in Florida at the time. (He) was unable to leave the state of Georgia due to being on felony probation.”
It gets worse.
“(He) told me that he attempted to file his income taxes for the first time ever and he was rejected due to owing the IRS money, $20,000. (He) stated he spoke to a representative for the IRS and he was informed that taxes were filed in his name in 2014 and the return was $1,3000. (He) advised he did not file taxes in 2013 and he was still incarcerated at the time.”
The man then told the officer he thinks his brother “got the citations and filed income taxes using his information. (He) believed his brother obtained his Social Security number and other demographics when he was incarcerated.”
The man said he talked to his brother, who said he paid all the tickets. “(His) brother also told him on a different occasion that he knew his date of birth and (SSN). (He) advised he told his brother that it was not OK to use his name due to him getting his life together and attempting to drive commercial vehicles.”
The guy said he didn’t have his brother’s address. He chose to fill out an identity theft packet.

Simple battery, theft by taking: An officer was sent around 2 a.m. March 20 to the Baymont Inn regarding a disturbance. There, a woman said she was being “grabbed and pulled” by a man when she told him to leave her motel room. She said they began arguing when he accused her of stealing $100.
The man claimed he met the woman on a dating website and when they “started having sex she informed him that it would cost $100.” He told her he wasn’t going to pay her, “got dressed and realized the five $20s in his pants pocket were missing. He accused (her) of stealing his money.”
The officer asked the woman if she stole the man’s money and she replied, “No, I work hard for my money.”
Both were given a case number and told how to get a warrant.

Robbery: A woman called HPD March 15 to report she was home when her estranged husband came to her apartment “and asked her to come outside to talk to him,” a report said.
“She stated that she stepped outside thinking that he was going to be civil, though she recently filed for divorce from him. As she stepped outside, he grabbed her necklace off her neck and then ran down the stairwell and out to the parking lot.”
The woman said he stood by his vehicle a minute, then drove off as police arrived. Officers checked the area but had no luck finding the man.

Burglary: Police were sent to a Malibu Drive address on March 13 regarding missing firearms and ransacked rooms. The homeowners were at work and got home to find handguns and rifles missing, as well as video games.
It appeared the home may have been broken into through the attic. Police found footprints and other evidence, and the case is under investigation.

Recovered stolen trailer: A U-Haul employee was inventorying equipment on March 14 when she discovered a trailer that had been reported stolen in Florida on Dec. 26. “She stated someone had backed the trailer into a parking stall along with the other trailers sometime during the night.”

Theft: In February, the maintenance man at Cypress Bend Mobile Home Park reported that “22 air conditioning unit disconnect boxes were stolen from various lots… He stated he began receiving calls from people that their air conditioning units were not working.”
The boxes contain small pieces of copper. He didn’t know who swiped them, but valued the total at about $341.

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