CLASSIC CITY NEWS

By Joe Johnson Timothy Lee Randles, 39, of Almond Drive, was arrested this week for possessing child sexual abuse material. The Investigation began in November with a cyber tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Randles had uploaded images of children being sexually abused to the Kik messaging app. The tip had initially been assigned to the FBI and further investigation was conducted by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department’s Special Victims U

By Joe Johnson A man who was accused of raping a University of Georgia freshman in her dorm room has been sentenced to 10 years of probation. The probationary period for 20-year-old Theodore Bennett Angell will begin when he completes a brief period of confinement. On Wednesday a Superior Court judge sentenced him in accordance with a plea agreement reached last month between Angell and the District Attorney’s Office. The plea deal was made with the approval of the victim, a

James “Jimmy” Bryant is owner of the Rock Nobster record store on Main Street in Watkinsville From The Augusta Press Date: March 20, 2026 BY GREG RICKABAUGH Authorities in Richmond County have arrested a 58-year-old man accused of paying a teenage girl for sex at a local hotel, in a case that highlights ongoing concerns about child exploitation and sex trafficking in the region. James Raleigh Bryant, of Athens, was taken into custody Thursday and charged with trafficking of p

From The Augusta Press Date: March 20, 2026 BY GREG RICKABAUGH Authorities in Richmond County have arrested a 58-year-old man accused of paying a teenage girl for sex at a local hotel, in a case that highlights ongoing concerns about child exploitation and sex trafficking in the region. James Raleigh Bryant, of Athens, was taken into custody Thursday and charged with trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, aggravated child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purpo

By Joe Johnson A 35-year-old man has been arrested on charges that he raped his wife while assaulting her during a domestic violence incident at their home on Marlin Street. In addition to rape, Gregory McKinley Mulligan is facing charges that include false imprisonment, aggravated assault, family violence battery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to police, officers responded to Mulligan’s home on March 10th to investigate reports from neighbors ab

Mulligan By Joe Johnson A 35-year-old man has been arrested on charges that he raped his wife while assaulting her during a domestic violence incident at their home on Marlin Street. In addition to rape, Gregory McKinley Mulligan is facing charges that include false imprisonment, aggravated assault, family violence battery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to police, officers responded to Mulligan’s home on March 10th to investigate reports from nei

By Joe Johnson A 41-year-old Athens man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to multiple counts of sexual exploitation of children. Jason Carleton Coates had been arrested in September 2021 following a probe by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit. A search of electronic devices at his Peabody Street residence found disturbing images that included boys and girls being tortured and having sex with animals. Coates was subsequentl

Smith By Joe Johnson A man wanted on a rape charge in Jackson County was arrested in Athens Tuesday night after authorities tracked him down at The Rail on Mitchell Bridge Road. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office notified police in Athens that a phone belonging to 49-year-old Jamie Barron Smith had been pinged at the popular pool hall and bar. Officers subsequently located Smith there and arrested him, then took him to a parking lot off Jefferson Road where they transferre

The Athens-Clarke County Police Department has released the following: On February 28, 2026, at approximately 1:38 AM, ACCPD officers responded to a report of a rape that occurred in the area of 400 North Thomas Street. The investigation determined that 19-year-old Tydarius Wingfield, of Athens, GA, approached the female victim, who is a UGA student and unknown to Wingfield, and requested to walk her home. During the interaction, Wingfield forced the female behind a building

By Joe Johnson The University of Georgia Police Department has issued the following community notification: February 28, 2026 3:55 a.m. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is currently investigating a Rape incident that occurred at approximately 1:25 a.m. in the area of 520 North Thomas Street. The victim reported that while in the area of 510 North Thomas Street she was approached by an unknown male who offered to walk her to her residence. The victim reported that

By Joe Johnson A grand jury has indicted a 26-year-old Monroe man for the alleged sexual assault of an Athens juvenile last summer. Darius Lamar Hardin was charged with statutory rape, child molestation, and sexual battery of a juvenile, according to the indictment filed Tuesday in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court. The victim was 14 at the time of the assault in October 2025, court records indicate. Hardin is free on bond and scheduled to be arraigned on April 14th.

The Gwinnett County Police Department has issued the following: (Duluth, Ga., Feb. 25, 2026) – Gwinnett County Police investigators make a human trafficking arrest after following up on a previous robbery arrest. On January 20, officers responded to a robbery call at 2000 Satellite Pointe. in Duluth. When officers arrived, they met with Changze Li (28, Buford) who let them into the apartment saying there was a burglary or robbery in progress.  When officers entered the apartm

By Joe Johnson A former University of Georgia student has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the reported rape of a freshman in a UGA dorm room two years ago. According to a plea agreement filed in Superior Court on February 12th, 20-year-old Theodore Bennett Angell pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault, sexual battery, and battery in return for dismissal of the rape charge. According to court documents, Angell had choked, slapped and bit the 18-year-old victi

By Joe Johnson Damond Ladean Hewell, 44, of Hull, was arrested Wednesday afternoon when he was found outside an Athens liquor store. Officer Samuel Calderon reports that he was patrolling the high-crime area of Danielsville and Ila roads at about 4:45 pm when he noticed a car of interest parked at Norwood Package Store. The officer went to speak with the driver because of his criminal history, then saw that Hewell was in the back seat. When the man voluntarily disclosed that

By Joe Johnson A 57-year-.old homeless man was arrested Saturday morning at McDonald’s on Prince Avenue where he reportedly exposed himself to others in the dining room. Police said they responded upon receiving a report at 10:49 am about Carr sitting in one of the booths and removing a blanket to expose himself to diners. Management wanted to bar the man from the restaurant, but police took Carr into custody upon learning that the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office had a warrant

Released this evening by the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office (Gwinnett County, Ga., January 26, 2026) – On January 23, 2026, the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit arrested Brandon Walker in Lithonia, Georgia. Walker had active warrants issued by the Duluth Police Department for Statutory Rape, Child Molestation by Electronic Device, Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes, and Creating or Possessing a Visual Medium Depicting a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit C

M Released this evening by the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office (Gwinnett County, Ga., January 26, 2026 )  – On January 23, 2026, the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit arrested Brandon Walker in Lithonia, Georgia. Walker had active warrants issued by the Duluth Police Department for Statutory Rape, Child Molestation by Electronic Device, Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes, and Creating or Possessing a Visual Medium Depicting a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explic

By Joe Johnson With the Tara Baker murder trial just a week away, an attorney for the accused killer has provided the most detailed account to date of the UGA law school student’s death 25 years ago. The details are meant to contrast the slaying with an assault that Edrick Faust was previously convicted of committing that the prosecution plans to present as evidence in the trial that had been scheduled to start on January 26th. Faust was convicted of aggravated assault for an

Faust By Joe Johnson With the Tara Baker murder trial just a week away, an attorney for the accused killer has provided the most detailed account to date of the UGA law school student’s death 25 years ago. The details are meant to contrast the slaying with an assault that Edrick Faust was previously convicted of committing that the prosecution plans to present as evidence in the trial that’s scheduled to start next Monday. Faust was convicted of aggravated assault for an inci

Released today by the Northern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office At the District Attorney's Office, we believe in the existence of monsters, and things that go bump in the night. We strive everyday to hold them accountable, and remove them from the world. One such monster, Jason Edward Vaughn, learned his fate this week, in particular that he will never breathe air as a free man again. After being found GUILTY by a Madison County jury last year of Aggravated Sexual