The checks started five days leading up to Halloween, and it happens every year.
Probation officers conduct Halloween sex offender sweeps
Author: WXIA 11Alive
Judge issues ruling favoring sex offenders who sued Butts County sheriff over ‘no trick-or-treat’ signs
A federal judge heard arguments in court last week and handed back the decision, Tuesday.
ATLANTA — A federal judge has issued a ruling favoring – in part – three registered sex offenders who sued the Butts County Sheriff, calling the “no trick-or-treat” signs the sheriff placed in their yards an abuse of power.
Last year, Butts County Sheriff Gary Long had deputies place the signs in the yards of the registered sex offenders in the days leading up to Halloween, alerting parents and trick-or-treaters that they should avoid those homes.
“My office took precautions and placed signs indicating ‘No Trick-or-Treat’ at each registered sex offender’s residence in the County,” Sheriff Long said. “This was done to ensure the safety of our children.”
Georgia state law prohibits registered sex offenders from placing Halloween decorations on their property. But several of the sex offenders objected to the signs, saying it made them a target and was an overreach by the sheriff. Three of those offenders ended up filing suit, arguing that the yard signs went too far – breaking the law in the name of enforcing the law.
“State law does require him to notify the public in very specific ways, and none of those ways includes placing signs on registrants’ lawns,” explained Mark Yurachek, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs.
According to the lawsuit, the offenders questioned whether the sheriff “exceeded his authority” in putting up the signs and whether deputies trespassed on their properties in doing so. The suit also says the deputies’ actions caused harm, including “anxiety, embarrassment and humiliation,” and damaged their ability to trust law enforcement. They sought a jury trial and damages.
A federal judge heard arguments in court last week and handed back the decision, Tuesday.
“The question the Court must answer is not whether Sheriff Long’s plan is wise or moral, or whether it makes penological sense. Rather, the question is whether Sheriff Long’s plan runs afoul of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. It does,” the ruling states.
In the ruling, the judge granted the named plaintiffs’ motion to prevent the sheriff’s office from posting the signs in the named plaintiffs’ yards. However, the judge declined to offer damages. The court also declined to enter into a sweeping injunction in favor of all registered sex offender, but warned the sheriff’s office “should be aware that the authority for their blanket sign posting is dubious at best and even more dubious if posted over the objection of registrants.”
The court continued, saying that the ruling does not limit the sheriff’s discretion “to act on specific information suggesting a risk to public safety. But he cannot post the signs over the named Plaintiffs’ objections simply because their names are on the registry.”
In a statement to 11Alive following the judge’s ruling, Yurachek, the attorney, said his clients were “thankful” to the court’s “thoughtful and measured decision.”
“There is a long way to go in this action and, although we decline further comment specifically addressing the litigation, we are hopeful that this decision indicates that, as with this preliminary issue, we will prevail in the permanent injunction action and the lawsuit in general,” the statement continued. “We hope for and wish that every child in Butts County and in every community in the country enjoys a joyful and safe Halloween and note, as the Court’s opinion did, that the lack of signs in front of registrants’ homes will not affect either their joy or their safety this year or any other year.”
He added that he would hope the ruling gives the sheriff “pause about putting up signs this Halloween or in the future.”
11Alive reached out the sheriff’s office for a comment on the ruling. They posted a response on their Facebook page saying they will continue to fight the lawsuit, but will not put up any yard signs while the suit is pending.
“The judge in this matter has ruled that I can NOT put signs on the right-of-way of the three offenders that filed the lawsuit. While I respectfully and strongly disagree with the judge’s ruling, I must abide by the ruling,” the sheriff said.
The sheriff added that he sought advice from the Prosecuting Attorneys Council in 2018 before deputies placed the signs, who gave specific instructions on how to place them in compliance with Georgia Law.
In lieu of the signs, the sheriff said he will keep a “very strong presence” in the neighborhoods where there are known sex offenders. He also added that while some may be disappointed with the ruling, he strongly encouraged they “NOT take matters into your own hands this Halloween.”
“We understand frustration with the Judge’s ruling, but we all must abide by it unless it is overturned on appeal. Unfortunately, there is no time to appeal before this Halloween,” the sheriff said. “My promise to the citizens of Butts County is to protect the public, especially the children.”
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You can check the Georgia sex offender registry by visiting the state’s website.
Operation Just Cause nets 24 arrests for attempted child sex crimes in metro Atlanta
These individuals traveled or were willing to travel to the county for criminal sexual encounters with young children
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The 24 suspects range in age from 19 to 65. They hailed from as far away as Wisconsin. They were IT professionals, landscapers, and drug representatives. And they were all arrested during an undercover operation in metro Atlanta.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office along with 13 law enforcement agencies finished an undercover operation dubbed “Operation Just Cause.”
The sting was a four-day proactive effort centered in Cumming. The operation took several months of planning and was aimed at child predators and other suspects targeting children for human trafficking and other criminal acts in the state of Georgia.
Over the course of the operation, 24 of those cases were concluded with arrests, authorities said. Among those arrested were already-registered sex offenders and suspects with prior arrests for similar charges.
Investigators had numerous exchanges with subjects on various social media or internet platforms, police said. Many of those were exchanges in which the subject initiated contact with someone they believed to be a minor and directed the conversation towards sex, the investigators said.
They added that, in some cases, the subject introduced obscene or lewd content, often exposing the minor (undercover) to pornography or requesting the child take nude or pornographic images for them.
“If you want to prey on Forsyth County’s children, you picked the wrong county,” Sheriff Ron Freeman said. “And, indeed, I will tell you, you picked the wrong state if you think you are going to prey on Georgia’s children.”
Among those caught in this operation were a suspect who pleaded guilty to statutory rape the week prior and a man currently serving time in the state prison system who made contact with the undercover officer on a smuggled cell phone. Investigators even said a 25-year-old man and 19-year-old traveled from Tennessee to have sex with an underage child – and came with their 2-year-old baby were also arrested.
Authorities took the opportunity on Thursday to warn parents about the dangers posed online and the dangers that lurk out there.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security, and several local law enforcement agencies took park in the operation.
More than 40 officers participated in the operation.
Arrests in Operation Just Cause
PHOTOS: Operation Just Cause arrests
Robert Harley Martin, W/M, Dahlonega, GA, 38 years of age, truck driver
Erik Delgado, W/M, Gainesville, GA, 26 years of age, sales associate
Alan Thomas Bryant, W/M, Murrayville, GA, 40 years of age, unemployed
Kyle Alexander Williams, B/M, Stone Mountain, GA, 32 years of age, landscaper
Roger Kyle Nicholson, W/M, Gainesville, GA, 44 years of age, unemployed
Jacob Perry Yeamans, W/M, Madison, Wisconsin, 61 years of age
Rene Mauricio Posada, W/M; Marietta, GA, 29 years of age, sales manager
Jackson Cain Butler, W/M, Calhoun, GA, 20 years of age, sales
John Andrew Odell, W/M, Cumming, GA, 40 years of age, truck driver
Michael Keith Coker, W/M; Augusta State Prison, 29 years of age, unemployed
Richard Edward Hazelwood, B/M, Roswell, GA 49 years of age, drug representative
Johnathon Dale Butler, W/M, Palmall, TN, 25 years of age, unemployed
Mackenzi Faye Stinson, W/F, Palmall, TN, 19 years of age, sales associate
Mahesh Kumar Saroj, W/M, Alpharetta, GA, 35 years of age, Information Technology
Christopher Scott Taylor, W/M, Cumming, GA, 29 years of age, construction
Joseph Ryan Lisnock, W/M, Gainesville, GA, 22 years of age, Landscaper
Dylan Blair Nessmith, W/M, Johns Creek, GA, 23 years of age, mechanic
Austin Wayne Rhodes, W/M, Alpharetta, GA, 22 years of age, Mechanic
Daniel Dennis Rogan, W/M, Witchita, KS, 47 years of age, Vehicle Transporter
Jason Lee McIntyre, W/M, Gainesville, GA, 35 years of age, Supervisor
Gavin Austen Peppers, W/M, Bowman, GA, 21 years of age, hotel clerk
Jimmy Webster Roy, W/M, Gainesville, GA, 21 years of age, mover
Anthony Christian Ceja, W/M, Lawrenceville, GA, 23 years of age, laborer
Steven Charles Vinnenberg, W/M, Cumming, Ga. 65 years of age
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Georgia kindergarten teacher faces four child molestation charges
Dennis Cooke, 40, was arrested last weekend in Long County.
LONG COUNTY, Ga. — A South Georgia kindergarten teacher is being accused of child molestation.
News outlets report 40-year-old Dennis Jefferson Cooke was arrested Saturday in Long County and charged with several counts of child molestation.
According to Long County Sheriff’s Office records, Cooke faces four child molestation charges and is being held on a $200,000 bond in Liberty County.
Cooke works for Taylors Creek Elementary School in Liberty County. The county school system issued a statement saying the school has placed Cooke on administrative leave and the district had no knowledge of any wrongdoing.
Long County Sheriff Craig Nobles declined to say how many children were involved.
It is unclear whether Cooke has an attorney.
MORE HEADLINES
Suspected sexual predator faces multiple charges in Pickens County
He is a registered sex offender in Pickens County.
PICKENS COUNTY, Ga. — A Pickens County man is facing multiple charges after police said he had multiple reports of inappropriate sexual contact with minors.
Jeremy Lee Remlinger was arrested Monday at his business located near the intersection of Georgia Highway 53 and Camp Road, Pickens authorities said.
Remlinger is facing multiple charges including: Rape, Statutory Rape, Child Molestation, Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes, Sexual Battery, Solicitation of Sodomy, False Imprisonment, and Computer or Electronic Pornography and Child Exploitation.
Remlinger is a registered sex offender in Pickens County, according to authorities.
Authorities also said that additional charges are expected as the investigation continues at this time.
Sex predator watchdog group may be at odds with police
OPHIS gained quick notoriety for tracking down alleged child sex predators.
ATLANTA — An online watchdog group that gained quick notoriety for tracking down alleged child sex predators may find themselves in trouble with the law.
John Savior, who runs the group OPHIS posted on social media that he has been asked by law enforcement to stop making the videos – otherwise, he could be charged.
The videos shocked metro Atlanta when they were first posted. They quickly went viral.
In the first video posted online, Savior confronts 35-year-old James Crews, who allegedly planned to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old boy at a Walmart in Griffin.
“You think it’s alright for a 35-year-old man to have sex with a 14-year-old boy?” Savior asked in the video.
“If he consents to it,” Crews responded.
The videos were reminiscent of the old NBC show To Catch A Predator. However, that show often worked with law enforcement while Savior worked alone.
“There’s a reason we have law enforcement. I don’t want everyone in the world … to go out and make traffic stops and pull people over,” said Attorney Randy Kessler who is not affiliated with this case.
On his Facebook page, Savior writes that he will no longer attempt confrontations in Henry County.
“We will be continuing our operations in all other cities and counties at a higher rate. It has been made (abundantly) clear that O.P.H.I.S is not welcome in the Henry County area,” wrote Savior.
11Alive reached out to Henry County Police to see if they, in fact, told Savior to stop. The agency never responded.
The suspect in the original video, James Crews, is still behind bars in Lamar County. He’s charged with enticing a child.
Kessler believes the suspect’s lawyers could have some legitimate concerns about his arrest.
“As a lawyer, if I was defending the guy, I would want to know about the person who caught him. Who is he? What’s his baggage?” said Kessler. “They’re trying to do the right thing. But work with law enforcement”
Savior said he doesn’t plan to stop. He wrote on his Facebook page that, instead, he’ll change his strategies.
MORE HEADLINES
Video of confrontation with accused sexual predator in Walmart goes viral, lands Lamar County man in jail
The 10-minute video was posted by someone who claims to have posed as a 14-year-old boy in order to lure the accused predator.
A viral video of a so-called sex sting making the rounds online has led to an accused sexual predator’s arrest – but police weren’t the ones behind it.
James Crews, 35, has been charged with enticing a child, according to Lamar County authorities. It comes after a video posted to YouTube over the weekend appeared to show Crews being confronted in the hair dye aisle of a Griffin, Georgia Walmart over sexual messages exchanged between Crews and who he thought was a teenage boy.
“I think you know very well that you’re not just here for hair color,” the man recording the video says. “I think you know exactly what you’re here for.”
The man tells Crews he is with a group called OPHIS, described as an online watchdog group. The 10-minute video was posted by someone named John Savior, who claims to have posed as a 14-year-old boy in order to lure Crews to the Walmart to meet. Interspersed throughout the video were screenshots of messages assumed to be exchanged between Crews and Savior posing as the young teen.
“All I was doing was meeting him,” Crews says in the video.
“Meeting who,” asks Savior.
“John, to hang out,” Crews answers.
“What were you going to do with John when you hung out,” Savior presses.
“Go out and grab something to eat,” Crews replies.
Savior confronts Crews about the decoy being 14 years old, something Crews tried explained away, saying he is friends with other boys around that age.
“Is it acceptable for you to meet with a 14-year-old boy?” Savior continues.
“No,” Crews replies.
While the set-up of the video may seem familiar, what makes it odd is that there is no law enforcement around – Savior appears to have gone to the Walmart by himself to confront Crews.
Ultimately, the video ends with Crews being able to walk off – that’s because Savior admits he’s not a cop, and he can’t make an arrest.
But once the outrage over the video grew so large, it caught the attention of local authorities. The Lamar County Sheriff’s Office posted about the video on their Facebook page, writing, “We have received numerous calls about this video. We currently have this subject incarcerated on an investigative hold. Investigators are interviewing and conducting search warrants.”
“Thank you for your concerns and bringing this to our attention,” the sheriff’s office added.
Crews, who lives in Lamar County according to authorities, ultimately was arrested and charged in connection to the confrontation. He’s now in custody in the Lamar County Jail.
11Alive spoke to Savior who admits he was a victim as a child and now works to put predators in jail. And while one investigator told 11Alive he believes Savior’s and the group’s intentions were for the right reasons, they went about them in the wrong way.
Source: https://www.11alive.com/article/news/lamar-county/85-dafa8f35-554e-4968-b0b5-3e719fb2cf85
More than 80 suspected Georgia sex offenders nabbed in nationwide operation
CRIME
Operation Broken Heart targeted people suspected of child sexual abuse or creating child porn
MACON, Ga. — More than 80 people in Georgia have been arrested in connection with a nationwide operation that targeted suspected online child sex offenders.
On Tuesday, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force announced the results of its participation in Operation ‘Broken Heart.’
A total of 1,700 suspected offenders were arrested between the months of April and May 2019 – and 81 were in Georgia.
RELATED: 1,700 arrested in child porn, sex trafficking crackdown
Throughout Operation Broken Heart, 61 task forces across America investigated more than 18,500 complaints of crimes targeting children helped by technology.
They also gave more than 2,150 presentations on internet safety to 201,000 kids and adults.
The US Department of Justice says 308 of the 1,700 arrests are suspected of producing child porn or sexual abuse. Additionally, they found 357 kids who were victims of that abuse or were used in the child porn.
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3-year-old Georgia girl dies after ‘heinous’ sexual abuse, police say
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Sophie’s Nightmare: How a Georgia mother allowed her boyfriend to impregnate her 10-year-old
More than 80 suspected Georgia sex offenders nabbed in …, Jun 11, 2019 … Operation Broken Heart targeted people suspected of child sexual abuse or creating child porn.
Operation Broken Heart targeted people suspected of child sexual abuse or creating child porn
MACON, Ga. — More than 80 people in Georgia have been arrested in connection with a nationwide operation that targeted suspected online child sex offenders.
On Tuesday, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force announced the results of its participation in Operation ‘Broken Heart.’
A total of 1,700 suspected offenders were arrested between the months of April and May 2019 – and 81 were in Georgia.
Throughout Operation Broken Heart, 61 task forces across America investigated more than 18,500 complaints of crimes targeting children helped by technology.
They also gave more than 2,150 presentations on internet safety to 201,000 kids and adults.
The US Department of Justice says 308 of the 1,700 arrests are suspected of producing child porn or sexual abuse. Additionally, they found 357 kids who were victims of that abuse or were used in the child porn.
RELATED HEADLINES
Convicted sex offender confesses to multiple murders, including Georgia
Nicholas Brent allegedly confessed to murders in several states, including Georgia.
