94 N. Main Street, Jasper, GA - (706) 253-2457 
Tuesday, 31st March 2020 10:57:40pm
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Pickens County Junior High Teacher Arrested
GBI Press Release
Jasper, Georgia (January, 31,2020) – A Pickens County Junior High schoolteacher has been arrested on four counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes. The teacher is Gilbert Suarez IV, 38 of Cartersville, Georgia. Suarez turned himself into the Pickens County Detention Center on Friday, January 31, 2020. The Pickens County School Board placed Suarez on administrative leave at the beginning of the investigation.
On Saturday, January 25, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Cleveland Office was requested by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office to assist with an investigation into a Pickens County Junior High schoolteacher soliciting inappropriate photographs from female students. During the investigation, three different females were identified as being approached by the teacher, all were under the age of 15. Fortunately, the incident was reported before any photographs were provided.
Upon completion of this investigation, the case will be provided to the Appalachian Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
Judge Wigington arrested
Pickens County Magistrate Judge Arrested
Sheriff's Press Release
At approximately 7:30 p.m. today, Pickens County Chief Magistrate Judge Allen Wigington was arrested for multiple incidents of Theft and Violation of Oath of Office.
The Sheriff’s Office began a review of financial documents for Pickens County in mid-December 2019. During the review of these documents, questionable spending activity on the Pickens County credit card issued to Chief Magistrate Judge Allen Wigington was identified. After an initial review, Sheriff Craig reached out to the Appalachian Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s office to discuss the findings. Following this, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was requested to assist with further investigation.
Jones’ working lunches draw fire: Commissioner defends expense as part of job
One page from a year’s worth of Rob Jones’ credit card bills obtained by David Shouse and posted on his commission chair campaign website.
A release of Commission Chair Rob Jones’ credit card statements for the past year by a rival candidate on Facebook show the county’s top elected official dined often at taxpayer’s expense.
While there were a few other items on the card, including car washes, the vast majority were at restaurants.
See this week's print or online editions for the story which includes comments from both David Shouse and Commissioner Rob Jones.
2015 officer-involved shooting case may reach Supreme Court
Progress File Photo
GBI agents processing the crime scene at the home on Carver Mill Road after 2015 standoff and shooting.
A case from 2015 in which Pickens deputies shot and killed a Carver Mill Road man has been heard in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. The court found that officers entered the man’s property unconstitutionally and seized him unlawfully, violating his Fourth Amendment rights.
The defense has now petitioned the case be heard in the U.S. Supreme Court.
See this week's print or online editions for full story, which includes comments from both plaintiffs and defense attorneys.
Hamilton named 2020 STAR Student
Pickens High STAR Student Nathan Hamilton. He selected Keith Petty as the STAR Teacher.
Submitted by Pickens Optimist Club
Pickens High School senior Nathan Hamilton has been named the school’s 2020 PAGE STAR Student. The Optimist Club of Jasper, the local STAR program sponsor, announced the honor. Hamilton selected Mr. Keith Petty as his STAR Teacher. Petty has taught for 25 years and currently teaches Literature and Composition at PHS.
Nathan is the son of Greg and Kim Hamilton of Jasper, earned the recognition as the STAR Student for academic achievement and performance on the SAT.
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