GCSO Investigation Leads to Arrest with Numerous Felony Charges

PRESS RELEASE:

Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson releases the following information:

What began as a simple investigation into a credit card theft turned into a major case resulting in the unveiling of multiple car break-ins, identity fraud and two methamphetamine labs. Last week, Detectives with the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation regarding a stolen credit card being used at an ATM machine located at an undisclosed location. The credit card had been stolen from a resident inside the city of Ellijay, along with the victim’s purse, and both had been taken out of her vehicle parked on Penland Street.

During the investigation, Detectives Scott Camp and Dustin Dover of the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office identified Robert Larry McFarland, age 27, of 345 Old Woodring Road, as one of the perpetrators using the card at the ATM machine. Detectives obtained a search warrant and conducted a search of the vehicle McFarland was occupying at the time of the transaction, which belonged to his girlfriend. Upon conduction of the search, officers found numerous other items relating to the identity of other people as well as three (3) credit card processing machines. “It was at this time that officers realized they were investigating a much larger case than that of a single incident theft,” said Sheriff Nicholson.

Detectives Camp and Dover continued the investigation by comparing their findings from the vehicle with Ellijay Police Dept. Investigator Leon Davenport and Corporal Alan Henson. During their comparison, they discovered links to at least 10 other car break-ins in the city of Ellijay. On that same evening officers searched the residence that McFarland was staying in, which resulted in the discovery of two (2) one-pot methamphetamine labs. The labs were described to be mobile / portable cooking labs that were combustible and very dangerous. Sheriff Nicholson stated “though they may cook less quantity at one time, the dangers of fire and/or explosions are still present just as in the larger much more complex labs.” There were also two small children located in the home during the search.

The Zell Miller Mountain Parkway Drug Task Force was called in to assist in the dissemination and the investigation of the lab.

As of the time of this report, McFarland has been arrested and faces numerous felony charges such as Manufacturing Methamphetamine, multiple counts of Entering Automobiles, Identify Fraud and Theft by Receiving Stolen Property. The investigation is ongoing and more arrests can be expected at a later date.