December 21, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that Rodriquez Lamont Hamilton, 28, of Brunswick, was convicted of Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault and two counts of Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony following a jury trial held in Glynn County Superior Court that ended on December 21, 2023. The charges stem from the November 2, 2022, shooting death of Jamarius Cowart, 24, of Brunswick, Georgia, and the wounding of Allysia Bryant, 27, also of Brunswick, Georgia. Bryant is the mother of Hamilton’s two children.

Evidence presented at trial showed that Hamilton and Bryant had been in a relationship since meeting in high school. Their relationship, as described by Bryant, was toxic. There was an extensive history of domestic violence as well as controlling behavior by Hamilton in the form of taking or damaging Bryant’s property. Hamilton also had a long history of cheating on Bryant with other women.

Six months prior to the shooting, Bryant started seeing Cowart, which angered Hamilton. On at least two occasions, he followed Bryant to Cowart’s apartment. Approximately a week prior to the shooting, Hamilton and Bryant argued over her seeing Cowart, and Hamilton punched her in the face.

On the night of November 2nd, Bryant told Hamilton she was going to church. At the time, Bryant and Hamilton were still staying in the same residence together. Instead, Bryant went to 1800 Mexican Restaurant in Brunswick to see Cowart, who was a waiter there. After Cowart finished his shift, Bryant began to drive him back to his apartment, off of Crispen Boulevard. Surveillance video from various businesses along Crispen Boulevard showed Hamilton’s silver F150 turn onto Crispen Boulevard minutes before Bryant did in her vehicle. Hamilton then parked next to the Winn Dixie and waited for Bryant to pass by. Both Bryant and Cowart noticed Hamilton’s truck and saw him begin to follow them. While stopped at a red light at the intersection of Crispen Boulevard and Old Jesup Road, Hamilton pulled alongside the passenger side of Bryant’s car. He then fired five rounds from a handgun into the open passenger side window of Bryant’s car before driving off.

Bryant, who was shot once in her buttocks, immediately called 911 and identified her “baby daddy” as the shooter. She was able to flag down a Glynn County police officer and stated the same to him as well as to other officers and detectives. Cowart was shot multiple times and was hit in his heart, lung, and spleen. He died on scene.

Following the shooting, Hamilton ditched his truck at a friend’s home and then went on the run until surrendering to police with his attorney on December 9, 2022.

According to Chief Assistant District Attorney Nigel Lush, who prosecuted the case for the State, “Sadly this is another example of the not uncommon story of domestic violence, where the violence and the controlling behavior continues to escalate. In this case it culminated in a deadly shooting. Not only did the defendant shoot the mother of his own children, but he murdered a man who had nothing to do with their relationship. The shooting in this case was premeditated and cold blooded. Mr. Cowart was the father of two children who will now grow up without their father.”

Hamilton’s sentencing was held on December 21, 2023, immediately after the verdict was announced. Several members of Cowart’s family were present and spoke of their enormous pain over their loss. Glynn County Superior Court Judge Roger B. Lane sentenced Hamilton to the maximum sentence: life in prison without the possibility of parole plus a consecutive 30 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the Glynn County Police Department with Detective Ethan Varnadoe being the lead investigator.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

December 13, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that Wenda Lee Collins, 60, from Brunswick, pled guilty to one count of Child Molestation and one count of Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes in lieu of a criminal jury trial, pursuant to a negotiated guilty plea in Glynn County Superior Court on December 13, 2023.

The facts of the case would show that the Brunswick Police Department responded to a sexual assault call on September 16, 2017, involving a 12-year-old female victim. The defendant, Wenda Collins, was a close friend of the victim’s family and she considered him to be her God Daddy. Over the years, Collins had given her and her family money to pay bills and had bought her clothes and gifts. During that same time, Collins had also started to rub her legs and her buttocks, kiss her, and call her his girlfriend. On September 16, 2017, Collins picked the victim up from her home where her family was having a cookout and brought her to his home. While there he took her into his bedroom and had her pull down her pants and lay on the bed. He then removed his pants and rubbed his penis on the outside of her vagina until he ejaculated. He then took her back to her home. Once home, the victim was confronted by some family members who were suspicious of why she had gone to Collins’ home. One of her relatives then disclosed for the first time that she too had been molested by Collins as a child. The victim then disclosed to a family friend what had just happened to her.

After the defendant’s arrest, a 2004 police report was discovered where another underage girl had alleged the defendant had molested her while she lived with him with her family. No charges were ever brought in that case after the victim’s mother said she had recanted. When that victim was contacted by the District Attorney’s Office, she said she had only done so because she was fearful of being removed from her home and separated from her younger sister.

A jury in this case was picked on Monday, December 11th and trial was to begin today; however, the defendant entered his guilty plea prior to opening statements. Part of the State’s case would have included testimony by the now two adult victims as to the molestation they had endured. The victims spoke at sentencing about how Collins’ abuse had affected them, and they were relieved not to have to endure going through a trial.

Following acceptance of the guilty plea to one count of Child Molestation and one count of Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes, Superior Court Judge Roger B. Lane sentenced Collins to 15 years in prison followed by 15 years of probation. He will also have to register as a sex offender and be subject to the sex offender conditions of probation.

According to Nigel Lush, Chief Assistant District Attorney, who prosecuted the case, “All of Wenda Collins’ victims had similar stories to tell – years of grooming in the form of attention, affection, money, and gifts. In each case he eventually began to kiss them and rub on their legs and their buttocks before progressing to all manners of depraved sexual acts. Wenda Collins is a true pedophile. He was always around young girls, and we have no doubt that there are other victims out there. We hope this sentence provides these victims a measure of peace after such a long road to get to this day.”

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

November 17, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that a Jeff Davis County jury found Bruce Mitchell, 61, From Hazlehurst, guilty of Entering an Automobile following a jury trial in Jeff Davis Superior Court on November 15, 2023.

The incident occurred in March of 2023, when the victim, Charlie Watkins, was working the night shift at Beasley Forest Products, and was informed that his vehicle had been broken into. Watkins found that his passenger side window had been busted out and some money had been stolen from his console. Surveillance video showed an older red/pinkish Chevrolet S-10 drive past the parking lot at Beasley and a shadowy figure comes down the road shortly after. The person walked directly to Charlie Watkins vehicle, passing by at least five other vehicles, and then proceeds to try to get inside Watkins’ truck before busting the window, taking the money, and then walking back off to the darkness.

When he viewed the surveillance video, Watkins was able to identify the shadowy figure as Bruce Mitchell. Watkins had known Bruce Mitchell as a friend and neighbor for 15-18 years and thus able to identify him based on the way the person in the video walked and moved as well as the shoes they were wearing. Earlier that same day, Watkins had loaned Bruce Mitchell $10 and Watkins had observed a distinctive pair of boots Mitchell was wearing. At this time, Mitchell also had the opportunity to see that Watkins had a quantity of cash that he kept in the console of his truck. Watkins also recognized the suspicious vehicle in the video as one that Bruce Mitchell drove at the time: an older red Chevrolet S-10 that had faded to a pinkish color.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Hunter Smith. The jury deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before finding Mitchell guilty. Mitchell was sentenced to serve 5 years in the Department of Corrections by Superior Court Judge Roger B. Lane. Judge Lane took into consideration the targeted nature of the crime and the fact that Mitchell knew his victim and had been his neighbor. Mitchell was sentenced as a recidivist and thus will serve those 5 years without parole. Mitchell was previously convicted of Robbery in 1979, Armed Robbery in 1986, Theft by Taking in 2015, and Possession of Cocaine in 2016 all in Jeff Davis County.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

November 7, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces the following reassignments and new hires to the prosecutorial staff of the District Attorney’s Office for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit.

DA Higgins has selected Deputy Chief Elizabeth Presley to assume the duties as Deputy Chief District Attorney responsible for the Wayne County office. Deputy Chief Presley is a career prosecutor with over 32 years of prosecutorial experience, including homicides and serious violent felonies. Deputy Chief Presley joined the Brunswick Judicial Circuit in April of 2022, and has previous experience working in the Griffin, Towaliga and Macon Judicial Circuits. Deputy Chief Presley was awarded the 2019 Assistant District Attorney of the Year Award from the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council and has been a presenter at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation New Agent School. Deputy Chief Presley received her Juris Doctorate from Mercer University School of Law in 1989 and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia.

DA Higgins has selected Senior Assistant District Attorney T. Clifton Woody II to assume the duties of Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney responsible for the Camden County office. Deputy Chief Woody is a career prosecutor with more than 30 years’ experience prosecuting all types of criminal cases. He came to the DA’s office in June of 2022 following years of service in both the Houston and Macon Judicial Circuits where he prosecuted homicides, child abuse and molestation cases and domestic violence cases. Deputy Chief Woody received his Juris Doctorate from Mercer University School of Law in 1987 and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA in 1984.

DA Higgins welcomes Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Crissy Williams Boyles to the staff of the Wayne County office. ADA Boyles received her Juris Doctorate from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2005. In 2006, ADA Boyles worked as an intern under then District Attorney Stephen Kelley until sworn in as an ADA in May 2006. ADA Boyles served as an ADA under DA Kelley until 2011 when she resigned to go into private practice. In addition to her private practice, she has been employed for the past 11 years as a part-time judge with the Wayne County Magistrate Court until accepting a position with the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office under DA Higgins.

DA Higgins welcomes Assistant District Attorney Kelvin Aggrey-Ansong to the staff of the Glynn County office. ADA Aggrey-Ansong received his Juris Doctorate from the Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco, CA in 2020 and his bachelor’s degree from Atlanta Metropolitan State College in Atlanta in 2017. ADA Aggrey-Ansong has worked previously with the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office and the Dekalb County Solicitor General and has worked with various fellowship and internship programs in Florida, California, and Georgia.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

November 3, 2023

On November 3, 2023, a sentencing hearing for Ronnie May, Jr. was held before Appling County Superior Court Judge Stephen D. Kelley. On October 19, 2023, an Appling County jury found May guilty of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony in the shooting death of Lennal Dasher, 29, of Baxley, Georgia. Judge Kelley sentenced May to life in prison without parole for the Murder plus five years consecutive to serve for the Possession of a Firearm during Commission of a Felony, the maximum sentence possible.

(October 26, 2023) District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that an Appling County jury found Ronnie May Jr., 30, of Sandersville, Georgia guilty of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony in the shooting death of Lennal Dasher, 29, of Baxley, Georgia on Thursday, October 19, 2023, after four days of trial. The jury only needed 45 minutes of deliberations to return their guilty verdicts.

The evidence presented at trial showed that on May 6, 2022, a party was held at a residence on Warrick Lane in Baxley in an area commonly referred to as ‘21’ or ’21 Jump.’ During the party, an argument started between Mr. Dasher and Shavutea Nails, who was May’s girlfriend. Multiple witnesses observed May attempt to exit his vehicle with a firearm. The owner of the residence, Michael Crayton, told May not to make a decision ‘he’d regret forever’ and had Dasher walk away to cool off from the argument with May’s girlfriend. Dasher and another party-goer walked to a nearby park to smoke.

Within minutes of arriving at the park, May picked up Dasher in his vehicle. DeShawd Smith was also in the vehicle. According to Smith, May drove to a secluded area on James Drive in Baxley. May, Dasher, and Smith got out of the vehicle and walked down a dirt road. May then shot Dasher in the back of the head with a .22 caliber firearm. May then turned the flashlight on his phone on to confirm Dasher was dead. May saw Dasher’s eyes were still moving with the light so May shot him again in the face. At that time, May recovered the spent shell casing from the crime scene and left the area with Smith. A receipt for a .22 caliber firearm was found in May’s car. The firearm was consistent with the description of the firearm witnesses gave that May had the night of the murder.

According to Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Whitney Bradford, who prosecuted the case, “May was callous in his execution of Lennal Dasher. What started as a trivial argument between cousins turned into the senseless, brutal murder of Lennal Dasher.”

The case was investigated by Special Agent Steven Tucker, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Region 4 in Douglas.

Sentencing will be held on November 3, 2023. May faces a mandatory life in prison sentence with the only issue being whether it will be with or without the possibility of parole.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

October 31, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that Antonio Lafrancis Duncan, 29, of
Brunswick, was convicted of Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon during a trial held in Glynn County Superior Court in August 2023.

Evidence presented at trial showed that in January 2022, the deceased victim, Brandon Antoine Capers,
was a patron at a local Brunswick club, the Bamboo Lounge, accompanied by his brother, Sheldon
Morrison. Shortly after midnight, the defendant, Antonio Duncan arrived at the club with his brother,
Lafrancis Duncan and two other friends. Within minutes of arriving Lafrancis Duncan engaged Brandon Capers in a verbal argument. Antonio Duncan saw this argument and pulled his firearm which he was
prohibited from having as a convicted felon. Antonio Duncan interjected himself in the verbal argument
armed with a gun. At some point Brandon Capers pulled his gun and fired at Antonio Duncan. Capers
then turned and ran, falling down and letting go of his gun when he fell. Sheldon Morrison, hearing
shots, ran, and he too fell on the floor. Antonio Duncan then followed and stood over Morrison and
fired 3 shots striking Morrison. Antonio Duncan then turned his attention to Capers who was falling and
shot him 9 times. Antonio Duncan then fled the club.

At trial, Duncan raised a self-defense argument as to the shooting of Capers who had fired the first shot.
The jury acquitted him of the murder charges and because of that self-defense claim also acquitted him
of 4 counts of aggravated assault charges pertaining to 4 other club patrons who were struck by bullets
or projectiles. The jury convicted Duncan of the aggravated assault of Morrison and the two gun
charges. Antonio Duncan’s sentencing was held on October 19, 2023, and Glynn County Superior Court
Judge Stephen G. Scarlett Sr. sentenced Duncan to 20 years in prison for the aggravated assault on
Sheldon Morrison, 10 years consecutive in prison for the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
and 5 years’ probation consecutive for the possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Judge Scarlett then found Duncan guilty of violating his probation and sentenced him to 4 years and 4
months in prison to be served before his other prison sentence starts. Judge Scarlett also told Duncan
that he found him guilty of violating his probation for all the charges, including the murder, stating that
the evidence showed Duncan executed Capers. Antonio Duncan’s total sentence is 34 years and 4
months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.

The case was prosecuted for the State by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Presley and
Assistant District Attorney Taylor Herron. According to Deputy Chief Presley, “Antonio Duncan was a
convicted gang member and drug dealer, who took a gun which he was prohibited from even possessing
and went to a public place and wreaked carnage by shooting 15 times in a crowded bar. He is right
where he should be, in prison.”

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District
Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

October 30, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that Larry Price, 33, from Brunswick, pled guilty to Rape in lieu of a criminal jury trial, pursuant to a negotiated guilty plea in Glynn County Superior Court on October 30, 2023.

The Glynn County Police Department investigated the incident, which occurred in August of 2022. The victim and the defendant, Larry Price, had been friends for several years, and had on occasion used drugs together, but had never been sexually involved with each other. On the date of the rape, the victim was over at her nephew’s residence, when Price texted her about meeting up to smoke marijuana and use methamphetamine. When Price got to the house, he and the victim smoked “meth joints.” After using the drugs, the victim went to her nephew’s room to sleep. Shortly thereafter, Price enters the bedroom, sees the victim sleeping, removes her pants and undergarments, performs oral sodomy on the victim and has sexual intercourse on her. The victim awakens, says she must use the bathroom, leaves the house, and walks to a nearby residence. The victim never consented to the sexual acts. The victim did not report the rape on that date because she was not sure what had happened.

A few days later, the victim’s nephew reviewed the video camera from the computer that was in his bedroom. The video shows the victim in a deep sleep or state of unconsciousness. The video also shows Price performing oral sodomy on the victim and having sexual intercourse with her. Price gave a statement to the police admitting to sexual intercourse and oral sodomy, but claimed the victim was acting like she was asleep.

Following acceptance of the guilty plea to rape, Superior Court Judge Stephen G. Scarlett, Sr., sentenced Price to 25 years to serve in the Department of Corrections without the possibility of parole followed by life on probation.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

October 26, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that an Appling County jury found Ronnie May Jr., 30, of Sandersville, Georgia guilty of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony in the shooting death of Lennal Dasher, 29, of Baxley, Georgia on Thursday, October 19, 2023, after four days of trial. The jury only needed 45 minutes of deliberations to return their guilty verdicts.

The evidence presented at trial showed that on May 6, 2022, a party was held at a residence on Warrick Lane in Baxley in an area commonly referred to as ‘21’ or ’21 Jump.’ During the party, an argument started between Mr. Dasher and Shavutea Nails, who was May’s girlfriend. Multiple witnesses observed May attempt to exit his vehicle with a firearm. The owner of the residence, Michael Crayton, told May not to make a decision ‘he’d regret forever’ and had Dasher walk away to cool off from the argument with May’s girlfriend. Dasher and another party-goer walked to a nearby park to smoke.

Within minutes of arriving at the park, May picked up Dasher in his vehicle. DeShawd Smith was also in the vehicle. According to Smith, May drove to a secluded area on James Drive in Baxley. May, Dasher, and Smith got out of the vehicle and walked down a dirt road. May then shot Dasher in the back of the head with a .22 caliber firearm. May then turned the flashlight on his phone on to confirm Dasher was dead. May saw Dasher’s eyes were still moving with the light so May shot him again in the face. At that time, May recovered the spent shell casing from the crime scene and left the area with Smith. A receipt for a .22 caliber firearm was found in May’s car. The firearm was consistent with the description of the firearm witnesses gave that May had the night of the murder.

According to Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Whitney Bradford, who prosecuted the case, “May was callous in his execution of Lennal Dasher. What started as a trivial argument between cousins turned into the senseless, brutal murder of Lennal Dasher.”

The case was investigated by Special Agent Steven Tucker, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Region 4 in Douglas.

Sentencing will be held on November 3, 2023. May faces a mandatory life in prison sentence with the only issue being whether it will be with or without the possibility of parole.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

October 18, 2023

a sentencing hearing for Shaun Audrey Bland was held before Camden County Superior Court Judge Stephen G. Scarlet, Sr. In early October 2023, Bland was re-tried for a second time and found guilty of four counts of Aggravated Child Molestation, two counts of Child Molestation and one count of Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes. Similar to the conviction he received as a result of his first trial in 2015, Judge Scarlett sentenced Bland to life in prison.

(October 6, 2023) District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that, for the second time, a Camden County jury has convicted former Kings Bay submariner Shaun Audrey Bland, 39, of four counts of Aggravated Child Molestation, two counts of Child Molestation and one count of Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes.

In 2014 a nine-year-old female reported that Bland had molested both her and her 11-year-old disabled sister multiple times.

In 2015, the case went to trial and Bland was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. During the trial, Bland, who was out on bond, jumped from a vehicle driven by his father on I-95 going 70 miles per hour. Bland was returning to court to continue his testimony. He was then hospitalized because of his injuries. Judge Stephen Scarlett ruled that the trial could proceed without Bland because he had voluntarily absented himself from the proceeding by jumping from the vehicle.

However, in 2022, the Georgia Court of Appeals reversed his conviction, finding that Bland had not voluntarily waived his right to be present from trial. The Appeals Court found that his right to be present during trial had been violated and ordered a new trial in the case.

In the retrial of the case, jurors observed the forensic interview of the 9-year-old victim describing multiple acts of sexual abuse committed against herself and her disabled sister. Most of these acts involved Bland putting his penis in her mouth and ‘milk’ coming out of it. She described how the ‘milk’ tasted sour and gooey and felt like snot. The first incident occurred when he took her into the shower with him while her mother was out of the home. She also recounted one time where both she and her sister had to suck his penis in the bedroom. She also described incidents where he had rubbed his penis against both her vagina and buttocks and a time where he licked her ‘butthole.’ Bland had told her not to tell or she’d be in trouble.

The victim, now 18, had to testify again, describing the abuse she had suffered and the trauma she had dealt with in the years since.

During the original investigation, Bland was interviewed by former Camden Sheriff’s Office Investigator, now St. Mary’s Police Chief, James Galloway, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service Special Agent Jason Boswell. After initially denying ever taking a shower with the younger victim, or having any sexual contact with her, he eventually admitted to taking a shower with her one time at her insistence. He also said she started asking him about his penis while in the shower and he explained that was where pee and a milk like substance came out of. He then said that while washing his hair his penis ended up touching the 9-year-olds mouth and may have gone inside of it, but that it was completely unintentional. He never told the girl’s mother or anyone else that this had happened.

Her older sister, who suffers from cerebral palsy and autism, was unable to testify as her disabilities make her unable to communicate or comprehend what had happened. The jury acquitted on the one count of aggravated child molestation pertaining to her.

Bland testified at trial and altered his statement that he gave to investigators. He said that there was no discussion in the shower about his penis and that it had occurred after they got out. He also said he was not sure what she had touched his penis with, but that he felt ‘violated’ when it happened. On cross-examination Bland claimed the reason for the inconsistencies in his trial testimony and his interview back in 2014 was because he was confused and reflexively agreed with investigators questions because of his training in the Navy to always say ‘yes.’ At the time Bland had two years of college and was a missile technician.

According to Chief Assistant District Attorney Nigel Lush, who prosecuted the case for the State, “It is tragic that the victim and her mother had to be retraumatized by having to endure the ordeal of a trial again. They have suffered greatly in the years since and never expected that they would have to see Bland again, much less tell a room full of strangers about the depraved things he had done. They, as well as law enforcement and the District Attorney’s Office, are grateful to the jury for seeing the truth and holding Bland accountable again.”

The case was investigated by former Camden County Sheriff’s Office Investigator, now St. Mary’s Police Lieutenant, Erica Rafferty.

Sentencing will be held at a later date. Bland again faces the possibility of a life in prison sentence.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.

October 18, 2023

District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that a Glynn County jury found Frederick Parisi, 56, of White Oak, Georgia, guilty of Impersonating a Law Enforcement Officer, Unlawful Use of Blue Lights, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon following a jury trial on October 13, 2023.

Evidence presented at trial showed that in January of 2023, Frederick Parisi was hired as a night shift security guard at the Jekyll Island Club hotel on Jekyll Island. Parisi went to the Georgia State Trooper Post on Jekyll Island to introduce himself and offer his assistance if they ever required backup for any calls. He held himself out as a 30-year veteran of the Iowa State Patrol. This would be one of many lies Parisi told both Troopers and others he encountered.

During his employment as a security guard at the hotel, Parisi told several people that he was the Director of Public Safety for Jekyll Island (a position actually held by Dennis Gailey for the last 5 years). He also told one Trooper he was POST certified. POST stands for the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council and a law enforcement officer in Georgia is required to have POST certification to have arrest powers and work in law enforcement. Parisi also created his own uniform for the hotel that had a badge that said “Jekyll Officer.” He also created a vest that said “Jekyll K-9” on it. Georgia State Patrol is the only law enforcement agency on the Island.

Parisi also added police blue lights and police scanner to his personal vehicle to make it resemble an undercover police vehicle. Parisi would show up at numerous emergency calls in his “Jekyll Officer” or “Jekyll K9” attire, and in some instances with his blue flashing lights on. Troopers warned him that it was illegal to have blue lights in his vehicle since he was not in law enforcement and did not have a permit.

On May 5, the commander at the Georgia State Patrol Post received information from Glynn County Sheriff Neal Jump that Parisi had active warrants for his arrest from the State of New Jersey. He was arrested that day at the Jekyll Island Club. In his “office” (a storage closet he had converted into an office), Troopers discovered a 9mm handgun which was identified as belonging to Parisi. Troopers then learned that Parisi had been convicted of felonies for theft in New Jersey, as well as a Federal conviction for impersonating a Secret Service Agent.

Among the witnesses who testified at trial was a representative from POST who testified that Parisi was not, and had never been, POST certified. Also testifying was a representative from the Iowa Department of Public Safety who testified that Parisi was employed less than 60 days in 1994 and was fired for incompetence.

According to Assistant District Attorney Taylor Herron, who prosecuted the case for the State, “Anyone who puts blue lights in their personal car and pretends to be a police officer is a danger to the community. People should feel safe knowing that blue lights and a badge mean a trained law enforcement officer, not a convicted felon with delusions of being a police officer. The District Attorney’s Office is grateful to the jury for seeing the truth and holding Parisi accountable.”

The case was investigated by the Georgia State Patrol and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Sentencing by Superior Court Judge Roger B. Lane will be held at a later date. Parisi faces the possibility of 16 years in prison.

Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.