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Vol. 142, No. 7 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Established in 1882 Wednesday, April 6, 2022 - $1.00
Judging the county’s most serious crimes
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
As the criminal justice system
inches closer to conducting trials
stalled by the pandemic, the Burke
County Judicial Center will soon
host some of the county’s most seri
ous criminal cases.
After a case is indicted, the matter
will appear on a trial calendar until
disposed of with a plea or a trial.
Typically, the first day is referred to
as the calendar call. The Judge goes
through the entire calendar of cases
receiving announcements from the
State and the Defense as to how each
side intends to proceed.
After the calendar call, if there are
cases to be tried, the jury will often
be summoned the next day.
All of the following cases are
scheduled on Judge John Flythe’s
April 18 jury trial calendar.
A Burke County grand jury in
dicted Kevin Findley, then 35 years
old, September 2018, on allegations
he molested a girl under the age of
16. After speaking to BCSO deputies
over the phone the following month,
Findley turned himself in on two
felony charges of child molestation.
The District Attorney’s office hied
a notice of intent to seek recidivist
punishment in January 2019. Rep
resented by Attorney C. Scott Con
nell, Findley hied a consent order
for mental evaluation in November
2021. The victim told law enforce
ment the sexual assault lasted from
November 2010 to November 2012.
Antonio Haynes was apprehended
April 2019, by the Richmond County
Sheriff’s Office at an apartment
complex off Damascus Road in Au
gusta in connection with the April
2019 murder of 27-year-old Harry
Fleming Jr.
The B C S O, j oined by the Wayne s -
boro Police Department, the U.S.
Marshal’s Office, Richmond County
Marshal’s Office, Georgia Bureau of
Investigation, Georgia State Patrol,
Columbia County Sheriff’s Office,
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office,
Sardis Police Department and the
Wrens Police Department, continued
their hunt of the third suspect, Cyrus
Mincey, who was captured in Bibb
County that same
week. SEE
A third sus- COURT CASES,
pect, Antwan 7
Elementary students participating in the Wimberly House’s Spring Break Community
Service Camp surprised The True Citizen staff (front row, left) with a homemade cake.
The children, along with Director Lynn White (far right), baked cakes they delivered to
local businesses. They also prepared casseroles that will help feed the hungry. The True
Citizen staff members Shellie Smitley and Lavonna Johnson gave a short explanation
on the function of a local newspaper.
Former City Administrator
Jack Brantley has died at age 89
ROY F. CHALKER JR.
rchalker@bellsouth.net
T.J. “Jack” Brantley, who served
as Waynesboro City Administrator
for more than 20 years, died last
week at the age of 89.
He came to Waynesboro when he
retired after 23 years as an officer in
the United States Army.
He was active in civic affairs be
yond his official position. He was a
long time member and past president
of the Waynesboro Rotary Club.
He was also active in the American
Legion and was instrumental in the
construction of the flag display at the
northern entrance to the city.
Former City Administrator Jerry
Coalson said he first met Jack Brant
ley in 1995, when Coalson applied
for a position as the city’s accoun
tant. “I assumed I had the job when
he asked me what church I attended
and if I could sing. I had the absolute
privilege and pleasure of working for
him for 6 years and knowing him as
a friend for 19 more.” Coalson said
that Brantley “approached being a
city administrator as his Christian
vocation. He taught us to be ex
tremely frugal, how to ‘creatively’
manage (a term the auditor’s used)
the city’s finances, and how to turn
ideas into accomplishments.”
Coalson added that, “for a man
ager who had been in the position
for 15 years, he pushed for improve
ments like it was his first day on the
job. He taught us to be courteous
and fair to every citizen we met;
‘every one of them could likely be
the next mayor or council member.’
He taught us to build a relationship
with other organizations, especially
the media.”
Coalson says that, “the two char
acteristics that I will remember from
him the most were being courteous
and firm at the same time and being
a southern gentleman at all times. He
served the citizens of Waynesboro
for 21 years. Although it has been
20 years since Mr. Brantley retired,
officials from around the state still
remember him introducing himself
by saying, ‘I’m Jack Brantley from
T.J. “Jack” Brantley
Waynesboro, Georgia, The Bird Dog
Capital of the World.’”
Brantley was an
accomplished singer
and musical director. BRANTLEY,
Not only involved in 3
BCSO assists in child
pornography arrest
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
A Waynesboro man has been
charged with 16 counts involving
the exploitation of minor children.
The Burke County Criminal In
vestigation Division and the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation collaborated
in a joint operation that resulted in
the arrest of Jason Bonds Connelly.
After conducting a search of Con
nelly’s residence on East 7th Street,
the agencies recovered multiple de
vices containing child pornography.
Connelly has been charged with
14 counts of Distribution of Child
Pornography and two counts of Pos
session of Child Pornography.
“It is believed that Connelly has
distributed over 50,000 potential
child pomography/abuse hies,” ac
cording to a March 31 press release.
“This investigation continues and
more charges may be brought as
warranted.”
Sheriff Alfonzo Williams said Sat
urday that BSCO investigators were
told it’s one of the biggest child por
nography cases investigated by the
GBI. According to BSCO Captain
J.W. Wylds, it is unclear at this time,
if any of the pornographic images
involved local children.
City pays as Mayor’s
case moves slowly
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
The City of Waynesboro has
dished out nearly $10,000 in pay
while its mayor sits on the court
docket in another county.
In July 2020, Mayor Gregory Car-
swell was arrested in Statesboro and
charged with felony theft by taking,
identity fraud and theft by deception.
He was also charged with forgery in
the 2nd degree. The charges were
related to his employment by a
Statesboro title pawn business. In
December 2020 a Bullock County
Grand Jury indicted him on the
charges, stating that he is accused
of willfully and fraudulently using
a Georgia License number, taking
more than $ 11,000 in currency from
a title pawn shop where he worked,
and stealing at least $5,000 by inten
tionally creating fictitious accounts.
Carswell voluntarily took a leave
of absence in May 2021, citing
ongoing legal issues and the health
problems of his son.
In a statement he said, “Upon
obtaining a favorable resolution and
my son goes through these series of
issues, I look forward to returning
and completing my term in office.”
Governor Brian Kemp officially
suspended Carswell from his may-
oral position that same month.
Records show that since that suspen-
Gregory Carswell
sion, Carswell continues to collect a
gross income of $830.00 per month
amounting to a total of $9,828 since
Kemp suspended him.
Carswell’s attorney, J. Grady
Blanchard, hied a motion to with
draw September 7, 2021, stating
Carswell failed to pay legal fees in a
reasonable amount of time. Carswell
is currently represented by Scott
Brannen.
Nearly two years later, Carwell’s
case is on the list for a calendar call
set for April 12.
Following the city’s charter, Vice
Mayor James Chick Jones assumed
the role of acting mayor. Jones, who
makes approximately half the salary
that Carswell does, has received no
increase in pay.