In Session: Chatham County Jail Officer indicted for smuggling drugs
This column is part of a weekly round-up of notable grand jury indictments and court decisions, following through on cases reported by Savannah Morning News public safety reporter Drew Favakeh. If there are cases you're curious about, email Drew at AFavakeh@savannahnow.com.
CCDC corrections officer indicted
On March 14, a former Chatham County Detention Center (CCDC) corrections officer, Megan Barbee, received a $9,500 bond for conspiracy to commit a felony, and giving K2 paper to an inmate.
On March 5 of this year, Sheriff John Wilcher announced Wednesday in a press release that he terminated and arrested Barbee, following a “significant breach of conduct and trust within the CCSO.”
A hearing is scheduled for April 18 at 2 p.m.
More: Chatham County jail corrections officer fired, arrested and charged with smuggling drugs
CCDC officer not prosecuted in one case, pleads guilty to another
On March 20, former Chatham County Detention Center corrections officer Georgette Bennett was caught smuggling drugs into the jail was sentenced to 20 years, including a mandatory six years of confinement followed by probation.
Bennett was prosecuted for trafficking illegal drugs, conspiracy to violate the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and furnishing prohibited items to inmates. A Chatham County grand jury indicted her on those charges on March 1, 2023.
"While we are disheartened by the actions of one individual, it is crucial to recognize that this event is not reflective of our collective values and dedication. Our focus remains steadfast on learning from this experience and implementing measures to prevent future occurrences," Sheriff John Wilcher said in a prepared statement.
A court case involving an accomplice in the operation, Montez Wade, remains ongoing.
In a related case, Chatham County Assistant District Attorney Louis Annunziata agreed to not prosecute Georgette Bennett on all charges related to her smuggling drugs into the Chatham County Detention Center (CCDC) on March 20 of this year.
More: Chatham County Detention Center knew of correctional officer's history of drug smuggling
More: In Session: Trial of former Savannah Police officer delayed for second time
According to previous reporting by the Savannah Morning News, Bennett had worked at the CCDC for five months, despite admitting to another corrections officer that she had smuggled drugs at her previous job as a corrections officer at Rogers State Prison in Reidsville, Georgia. She also told the other officer she had been "in and out of jail in New York” and that she had resigned from her old job after being accused of bringing in contraband for inmates.
The training officer filed an incident report on July 31, 2022. The Chatham County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation but didn't find evidence of Bennett, 26, selling drugs, according to Chief Deputy Gary Taylor, who said they couldn’t prove “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Two people plead guilty to cruelty to children charges
On March 20, Shakeyvia Bost and Levi Riley both pled guilty to cruelty to children in the second degree. Bost also pled guilty to murder in the second degree, while prosecutors did not prosecute Riley for the same charge.
On Aug. 31, 2022, a Chatham County grand jury indicted Bost and Riley for cruelty to children in the second degree and murder in the second degree. Prosecutors alleged that Bost and Riley failed to "obtain reasonably prompt medical treatment" for a child under the age of 18 years old. According to the indictment, prosecutors also intend to seek recidivist sentencing for Riley, who was sentenced in 2015 for burglary and exploitation of a disabled adult in 2016.
On March 12, Chatham County prosecutor Katherine Bird filed a motion to continue the jury second-degree murder trial of Shakeyvia Bost and Levi Riley because a Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) forensic toxicologist is unavailable to testify. The toxicologist is a material witness to the case and is out on maternity leave until May.
Bost has been sentenced to a total of 25 years, including 15 years to serve and 10 on probation. Riley has been sentenced to a total of 10 years, with the first 23 months to serve and the rest on probation.
Jury trial was scheduled for April 1, but has been canceled with the guilty pleas.
Five men indicted for multiple charges tied to double murder at apartment complex
On March 20, a Chatham County grand jury indicted five men tied to a double homicide that took place after an armed robbery at the Fenwick Village Drive Apartment Complex in August 2023.
Ruben Hughes, Raquan Williams, Roland Heyward, and Albert Mack Jr. were all indicted with six counts of felony murder. Akilee Wilson was indicted with eight counts of felony murder. In September 2023, a Chatham County grand jury originally indicted Wilson, Heyward and Mack Jr. with felony murder, aggravated assault and armed robbery. The new indictment adds Hughes and Williams and adds more charges to Wilson, Heyward and Mack Jr.
On Aug. 9, at around 11:30 a.m., at an apartment complex on Fenwick Village Drive, Chatham County officers responded to a report of a shooting at the apartment complex, where they found two adult victims deceased inside one apartment. The shootings did not appear to be random, according to a CCPD press release.
Jury trial in the case is scheduled for July 8.
More: Three men arrested in double homicide; gunshot near Georgetown leaves person critically injured
Drew Favakeh is the public safety and courts reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at AFavakeh@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Chatham County Jail Officer indicted for smuggling drugs
