Sheriff's Office Archives

Two charged with Heroin Trafficking in multi-agency investigation

News April 1, 2022 , by Lonnie Adams

GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – Continued operations throughout the Appalachian area are seeing Gilmer’s Sheriff’s Office stepping up its work both in solo operations, and in joint operations alongside groups like the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement, Police, and Sheriff’s Offices in other counties and leading to drug seizures like heroin and meth.

On Wednesday, March 30, 2022, one of those operations involved Gilmer County Deputies, Fannin County Investigators, the Cherokee County North Carolina Sheriff’s Office, and the GBI Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office.

This coalition of law enforcement offices arrested two individuals allegedly involved in heroin trafficking. According to Gilmer’s Sheriff’s Office, an investigation into the trafficking saw the arrest of Jamie Willis Whitener, 44, of Murphy, North Carolina, and Natalie Lynn Scogin, 47, of Murphy, North Carolina.

The two have been charged with Trafficking Heroin after being stopped on Highway 515 in Gilmer County, Georgia. Headed north on the highway, Whitener and Scogin are suspected of being involved in trafficking heroin between Gilmer County, Georgia and Murphy, North Carolina. The Sheriff’s Office states that the two were known to the agencies involved in the investigation.

Gilmer Sheriff’s Office stated, “Approximately 10.9 grams of heroin was seized in this investigation, its value being approximately $1,600.”

Working along other agencies, numerous arrests have been made over the years after joint operations such as a four month long investigation in 2017 with the Zell Miller Mountain Parkway Drug Task Force. Additionally, Gilmer’s own deputies continue solo operations resulting in drug seizures like the record-setting arrest for 1.69 pounds of methamphetamines made in 2021.

The Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office is a multi-agency unit that consists of the following Sheriff’s Offices: White County, Lumpkin County, Banks County, Jackson County, Habersham County, Stephens County, Rabun County, Franklin County, Gilmer County, Fannin County, the Cleveland Police Department and the Toccoa Police Department, along with the Georgia National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, the Department of Public Safety, Department of Community Supervision and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Two arrested on child abuse

News July 30, 2019 , by Lonnie Adams

Laura Suzan Schwartz

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Several warrants were served earlier this month and two suspects have been arrested in regards to accusations of child abuse.

Laura Suzan Schwartz had warrants issued for Cruelty to Children, Battery Family Violence, and False Imprisonment Family Violence.

Michael Wayne Maupin had warrants issued for Cruelty to Children, False Imprisonment Family Violence, Aggravated Battery, and Battery Family Violence.

According to the warrants issued, the two allegedly kept three children, a 1 -year-old, a 2-year-old, and a 6-year-old, in unsanitary conditions. With names redacted, the warrants also allege that one of the kids was kept “in a dog cage locking him inside for a restraining/punishment device and to use as his bed for sleeping.” Each suspect also faces allegations of striking a child.

Further, Maupin is alleged to have used his hands to strangulate a child and to have wrapped a belt around one child’s neck and suspending the child off of the ground with it, also causing strangulation and causing the child to pass out.

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Michael Wayne Maupin

While these allegations are on the warrants, the incident report filed by officers only officially states the general Cruelty to Children charges. According to the report, officers arrived on scene with a representative of the Department of Family and Childrens Services (DFACS) to question the couple on the allegations. The report states that while the couple denied the allegations at first.

As the 6-year-old stated he was very thirsty, one of the officers offered a water, a blanket, a stuffed animal, and stickers. As the DFACS representative spoke with the child and the deputy spoke with parents, the representative came and “informed the parents that the child just stated that he “is put in the cage” when he gets in trouble and she asked the parents to be honest with her regarding the situation so that Department of Family and Children’s Services could provide them with the best possible resource to better the disciple [discipline] that is given and that they would come up with different things that they needed to work with to help the 6 year old and the parents and other children.”

The officers pressed further and the report says, “Mr. Maupin then admitted that yes they do use the dog cage on occasions for discipline and restraint for the 6 year old son.”

While the bond hearing for the case was originally to be held today, it has now been moved to September 10, 2019. Stay with FYN as we offer updates on this story.

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Authorities address storm damage in Gilmer

News June 23, 2019 , by Lonnie Adams

(All photos provided by the Gilmer County Public Safety Department.)

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Authorities are still finding damage and reports from the last two days of storms, meanwhile volunteers and citizens are banning together to clear roadways, driveways, and yards from debris.

According to the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, “60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail” were the main concerns from the storms. Authorities also fought with heavy rains and visibility on roads.

Coosawattee River Resort dealt with numerous downed power lines and both Pike Electric and Amicalola EMC workers were seen across the county yesterday before the second round of storms came through.

While FYN has not received reports from citizens or county authorities on any casualties and no public releases have been made, there has been on major note of damage inside the city limits. The clock tower, of Clocktower Crossing, was destroyed.

Authorities are saying that the damage was caused by the storms in the early morning on Saturday. Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office reports that Holden Road and Wood Ridge Drive are impassable at this time.

In addition to clean up efforts for the tower, business and county personnel, specifically Road and Power crews, have been working the damage for nearly 35 hours today. As of 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Amicalola Electric Membership Corporation is still reporting 703 homes without power in Gilmer alone, plus an additional 610 in surrounding counties.

They have also issued the following statement,

Severe storms with high winds blew through last night, leaving downed power lines across our service area. Outages are down from around 10,000 members at the peak, to currently around 4100, primarily in Gilmer County. Amicalola EMC crews have been working through the night and additional crews, from other companies, have been called in to assist restoration efforts. Use extreme caution if you are near a downed power line. Never go near a downed line, always assume lines are still energized. To report an outage please call one of the following: 706-253-0359, 706-276-0359 or 706-864-0359. All power will be restored as soon as is safely possible.

While no definitive statement has been made, public statements and statistics indicate that Gilmer may have been hit the worse of the 515 corridor at least.

Gilmer County Public Safety has also offered citizens a reminder list of Damage Control Contacts:

Emergency – City and County: Dial 911
Non-Emergency: Dial 706-635-8911

Road Department – County: 706-635-4589
Street Department – City:
Business Hours: 706-635-4711
After Business Hours: 706-635-8911

Georgia Power: 888-891-0938
Amicalola EMC: 706-253-0359 or 706-276-0359
Tri-County EMC: 866-254-8100 or 478-986-8100

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Gilmer County Sheriffs Office Arrest Report 07/23 to 07/29

Arrest Reports July 30, 2018 , by Admin Assistant

FYN publishes the arrest reports provided by the GCSO. The Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. 50-18-70) allows for www.fetchyournews.com to obtain and post the arrest records of any and all individuals arrested in Gilmer County. Those arrests are posted on www.fetchyournews.com for viewing pleasure. Please remember that all individuals listed have been arrested and charged, however, they are presumed innocent until guilt has been proven in a court of law.

Arrest Report Gilmer County Sheriff's Office