A 74 year old fisherman was rescued after his boat sunk in the Alabaha River early Sunday morning, July 2.
The fisherman was not identified and was not injured in the incident.
The man had gone fishing and his family reported him missing after he did not return home.
Sheriff’s deputies located his truck and boat trailer at the U.S. Highway bridge. Deputies launched a patrol boat and after about a two hour search found the man stranded on the river bank near where his boat had sunk.
Three Pierce County residents were arrested for trafficking in methamphetamine.
William Bennett Ritch, 30, Jack Carlos Cox, 45, and Preslie Caroline Boatright, 26, were arrested after a search warrant was executed Monday, June 26.
All three were charged with trafficking in methamphetamines, unlawful possession of firearms, possession of firearm during commission of crime, possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and possession and use of drug related objects.
Pierce County Sheriff’s Aggressive Crime Enforcement (ACE) Unit Investigator Greg Nettles, Investigator Wayne Mercer, ACE Unit Sergeant Jacob Winters, K-9 Deputy Michael James and Deputies Marc Horne, Jack Golub and Hunter Griffin assisted in the case.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office app also reported the following recent arrests, including:
• Keith Brinson and Whitley Ciara Strickland.
Brinson and Strickland were arrested June 26 after deputies were called to a residence.
Brinson was charged with aggravated assault and possession of marijuana less than one ounce.
Both were charged with possession of schedule II controlled substance, drugs not in original container and possession and use of drug related objects.
ACE Unit Investigators Greg Nettles and Wayne Mercer and Deputies Blaine Mercer and Joshua Crunkleton made the arrests. Deputy Blaine Mercer made the arrest.
• Devan Gary Bryson. Bryson was arrested June 19 after the sheriff’s office received a call about an intoxicated man. Bryson was arrested and charged with possession of schedule I controlled substance (spice), possession and use of drug related objects and probation violation.
ACE Unit Investigator Greg Nettles, K-9 Deputy Michael James and Deputies Daniel Santana and Jacob Carter made the arrest.
• Kristina Byrd. Byrd was arrested June 27 after deputies were called to a residence.
She was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession and use of drug related objects and violation of probation warrant.
ACE Investigator Greg Nettles and Deputy Jack Golub made the arrest.
• William Buddy Davis. Davis was arrested June 16 during a traffic stop. He has been charged with possession of methamphetamine.
K-9 Deputy Michael James made the arrest.
• Robert James Douglas. Douglas was arrested during a traffic stop June 21. He has been charged with possession of methamphetamine, marijuana – possession less than 1 ounce and taillight illumination.
Sheriff’s K-9 Deputy Michael James made the arrest.
• James Wade Drury. Drury was arrested July 1 following a traffic stop. He was charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, driving with license suspended or revoked, remove or affix place to conceal vehicle identification and possession and use of drug related objects.
Deputy Marc Horne made the arrest.
• April Lynette Eason. Eason was arrested July 10 and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, drugs not in the original container and probation violation.
Deputy Jacob Carter made the arrest.
• Timothy Joe Gill and Holly Myra Anderson. Gill and Anderson are both charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession and use of drug related objects and marijuana possession less than ounce.
The pair was arrested June 16 after a search warrant was served at a residence.
Aggressive Crime Enforcement (ACE) Investigator Greg Nettles, Investigator Wayne Mercer and K-9 Deputy Michael James made the arrests.
• Champagne Shavanne James. James was arrested July 5 after a search warrant was served at a residence.
She was charged with possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance with intent to distribute, purchase, possession, manufacture, distribution or sale of marijuana, possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, drugs not in original containe and possession and use of drug related objects.
ACE Unit Investigator Greg Nettles and Sergeant Jacob Winters made the arrest.
• Robert Curtis Johns. Johns was arrested July 8 following a traffic stop. Johns was charged with possession of a schedule II controlled substance.
Deputy Daniel Santana assisted the Georgia State Patrol with the arrest.
• Sheila Marie Joyner. Joyner was arrested July 2 after deputies responded to a residence.
Joyner was charged with possession of a schedule II controlled substance, possession of methamphetamine, possession and use of drug related objects, and probation violation.
Deputies Jack Golub and Hunter Griffin made the arrest.
• Steven Ted Kilgore. Kilgore was charged June 19 with possession/sell/purchase/manufacture fentanyl, possession and use of drug related objects and loitering/prowling.
K-9 Deputy Michael James conducted a follow up on a previous incident and found a stolen car (out of Brantley County).
Law enforcement officers requested the tracking dog, with Ware Correctional Institution to help locate Kilgore.
James, Deputy Marc Horne, ACE Unit Investigator Greg Nettles and Investigator Wayne Mercer made the arrest.
• Ericka Michelle Lovell. Lovell was arrested July 11 after she escaped from the Georgia Department of Corrections. The U.S. Marshals were actively trying to located Lovell. She was located at an area convenience store. She was charged with possession of methamphetamine.
ACE Investigator Nettles and K-9 Deputy Michael James made the arrest.
• Stephen Ashley McQuaig. McQuaig was arrested June 25 after deputies were called to a residence.
McQuaig was charged cruelty to children first degree, simple assault (family violence), willful obstruction of law enforcement officers and disorderly conduct.
Deputy Daniel Santana and Deputy Bruce Burrows made the arrest.
• Jennifer Laura Raulerson. Raulerson was arrested June 22 as a result of a traffic stop. She was charged with was arrested and charged with possession of a schedule II controlled substance, seatbelt violation and distracted driver.
K-9 Deputy Michael James made the arrest.
• Danielle Patrice Sharpe and Tiffany Clarice Spence.
The pair were charged after deputies responded to a residence June 26.
Sharpe and Spence have been charged with trafficking in cocaine, illegal drugs, marijuana or methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, marijuana – possession less than one ounce and possession and use of drug related objects.
K-9 Deputy Michael James and Deputy Marc Horne made the arrests.
• Shannon Diane Shear. Shear was arrested June 22 after the sheriff’s office received a call about an unresponsive person in a vehicle.
Shear has been charged with possession of heroin, possession and use of drug related objects and possession of marijuana – less than an ounce.
K-9 Deputy Michael James made the arrest.
• Norman Zachary Swain. Swain was arrested June 27 after deputies responded to a residence. He has been charged with theft by conversion.
Deputies Hunter Griffin and Jack Golub and ACE Unit Investigator Greg Nettles made the arrest.
• Michelle Marie Wright and James Franklin Stokes. Wright and Stokes were arrested June 30 after deputies served an arrest warrant at a residence.
Wright and Stokes are charged with possession of methamphetamine, marijuana – possession less than one ounce and possession and use of drug related objects.
ACE Unit Investigator Greg Nettles, Investigator Wayne Mercer, K-9 Deputy Michael James and Deputy Marc Horne made the arrests.
Sheriff Ramsey Bennett encourages anyone with information on any illegal drug and/or criminal activity to contact the A.C.E. (Aggressive Crime Enforcement) Unit at (912) 807-2677 or download the free Pierce County Sheriff’s app and send an anonymous tip.
