Investigation continues in Sylvester child molestation case

Alan Mauldin, The Albany Herald, Ga.
·3 min read
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SYLVESTER – Depending on when the Worth County Sheriff’s Office wraps up its investigation into a shocking child molestation case, a grand jury in the county could weigh in as early as July, Tifton Judicial Circuit District Attorney Bryce Johnson said.

Jerry Dan Heflin, 60, has been charged with more than 60 felonies in the case, but the sheriff’s office did not release a significant amount of information following the Tuesday arrest of the church deacon and businessman.

The reaction of Worth County residents to the Tuesday arrest of the church deacon was that things like that don’t happen in small towns like Sylvester.

Johnson also said that he could not comment on the pending case.

“Generally, in a serious case like this, once we get the full report from law enforcement, we will then make the final charging decisions, then present the case to the grand jury,” the DA said in a text message response. “Our grand jury in Worth (County) meets every other month, so hopefully we can present either in July or September.”

The sheriff’s office is working with the Patticake House child advocacy center in Tifton and the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services, Worth County Sheriff Don Whitaker said.

Investigators are still conducting interviews, and it is still an open case, Whitaker said.

“The investigation is ongoing,” he said. “We’re all working together. We just want to make sure the right thing is done for everybody.”

The sheriff said he could not comment on the age of the child or children involved in the case against Heflin.

The investigation was launched last week, he said.

Arrest booking reports released by the sheriff’s office said that Heflin has been charged with 16 counts each of aggravated sodomy and incest, 17 counts of sexual battery against a child under age 16, 15 counts of aggravated child molestation, and one count each of rape and child molestation.

A downtown business owner who identified herself only as Frances said that residents are concerned about the potential impact on children.

“Everybody says I can’t believe that happened here,” she said. “I think that’s how everybody feels, just shock and concern for children. We’re very fortunate we don't see a lot of that kind of crime.

“We have a strong police department in the city and the county, so we’re very fortunate. So it’s something we’re not accustomed to hear about.”

In a photo posted online of church leaders and staff at Unity Baptist Church in Sylvester, Heflin is listed as a deacon.

A second business owner downtown, who said she does not attend Unity Baptist, said that some people in the community are giving the church a “bad name” over the accusations against Heflin. The blame, if those accusations are true, belongs with the accused, said the woman who did not wish to be identified.

“Nobody knows what happened,” she said. “I know a lot of people are upset if it’s true. A lot of people are upset for his wife and about the kids. If it’s true, it’s a sad situation.”