Jailer who resigned accused of sexual misconduct
News September 3, 2018
Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Dawson County detention officer Luciano Pablo Betancourt could land behind the same bars he once guarded if the sheriff’s office investigates the claim that he engaged in illegal sexual misconduct with a female prisoner.
April Finnegan, 31, told Fetch Your News Saturday that during her incarceration in the Dawson County Detention Center, Betancourt “kissed her, put his hand inside her shirt and asked her to send him nude photos of herself.” Finnegan, who was serving a three-month sentence on probation violation and drug possession, said she did not report the incident because she had become attracted to the guard.
“I’m not trying to get him into trouble, even now,” she said. “Everybody in my dorm could tell. Everybody knew what was going on. One of the girls in my dorm even asked him jokingly, ‘Hey Betancourt can you two get married while she’s incarcerated.’”
Consensual or not, if the allegations are true, Betancourt could face serious jail time. Georgia law doesn’t take into account whether sex acts between a prison guard and an inmate are consensual, because guards have inherent authority over prisoners. Congress in 2003 passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act, which calls for corrections systems to have a zero-tolerance policy on prison rape.
Fetch Your News reached out to Sheriff Jeff Johnson to ask if Betancourt, who resigned in lieu of termination last month, is being investigated, but he declined to comment.
Betancourt had a questionable background when he was hired in June 2016 when Billy Carlisle was sheriff. In completing one personnel form, he answered “yes” to this question: “Have you ever illegally possessed, sold, manufactured, used or delivered legal prescription medication.” He also stated that he had used marijuana more than 50 times as well as “unknown” prescription pills.
In July 2017 he received a written reprimand for a policy violation that states: “Employees shall not fraternize with or engage the personal services of any person in custody; shall not become socially or emotionally involved with prisoners; shall not borrow money or any type of property; or shall not lend money or any property to any person in custody.”
According to that reprimand, “Officer Betancourt had spent time with 2 females in (cell) E-4 every shift he had worked between the dates of June 29 and July15. Betancourt would stop and spend two minutes talking with the 2 females, had the females out cleaning the showers in their whites (shirt and underwear) and remained in the pod while they were off camera in the shower. Betancourt remained at the table nearest the shower where he had full visual contact with the inmates. Thus far, there has been no allegation made by the inmates and Betancourt expresses he does understand the potential for accusations from these behaviors.”
Incidents of sexual misconduct involving jail guards and prisoners have increased in Georgia. In June, Edgar David Johnson was sentenced to 51 months in prison for sexually assaulting three female inmates at the Emanuel Women’s Facility in Swainsboro. That case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In April, 2017, Jermaine Minor was charged with four counts of sexual misconduct with a person in custody. It marked the third time in 18 months an officer at the Chatham County Jail had been accused of inappropriate contact with an inmate.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Sheriff Johnson has sole authority to give employees a pay raise
News July 22, 2019
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson has had the budget and the authority to give his employees a well-deserved pay raise for the last two years but chose not to do so.
As a constitutional officer, elected by the citizens of Dawson County, Johnson has sole discretion over how he manages his budget. Board approval is not required.
But on July 2 Johnson did come before the Board to request approval of a 15 percent across-the-board pay increase for employees. In a passionate plea to the Board he said, “In a time when law enforcement agencies are aggressively competing for staff through increased pay, benefits, signing bonuses, recruiting bonuses, etc., DCSO continues to fall further and further behind in these areas.”
But at last Thursday’s meeting, Commission Chairman Billy Thurmond explained to the sheriff that he can give his employees a pay raise any time he chooses.
Johnson has had serious budget management issues in the past. In 2017, his first year in office, he initiated a lawsuit against the Board in an effort to have them increase his budget. The lawsuit failed and, at the end of that year, the sheriff discovered he had $526,565 left over in his budget. That money had to be returned to the county fund balance.
Again in 2018, the Board allocated more money to the sheriff’s budget than he actually spent. At the end of that year, Johnson had $200,995 left over. In two years, Johnson wound up returning $727,560 to the county fund balance.
2020 is an election year and Johnson has not yet announced whether he will seek reelection. Two candidates — Jeff Perry, a veteran parole officer, and Marcus Sewell, Chief Investigator for the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office — have announced they will campaign for sheriff. Johnson’s opponents are expected to attack the sheriff for what they perceive to be his fiscal mismanagement.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Victim, suspect in shooting at fire station 7 are identified
Business July 30, 2019
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – At a morning press conference today (July 30), Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson identified the victim of last night’s shooting as Amy Alexandria Gibson, 44, of Dawsonville. Gibson was shot by her estranged husband Jeremy Wade Gibson in front of Dawson County Fire Station No. 7 on Dawson Forest Road.
Johnson said the victim made a rather “frantic” call to 911 at approximately 7:36 p.m. before the line went blank.
Jeremy Gibson (left) has been identified as the person who shot his wife Amy Alexandria Gibson Monday.
Gibson was fleeing from her husband and apparently drove to the fire station seeking a safe haven. Her husband reportedly followed her in a second vehicle and before she could exit the vehicle, she was shot several times and died at the scene. Her two children, ages 8 and 5 were in her vehicle at the time, but were unharmed.
After the shooting, Jeremy Gibson surrendered to firefighters who held him until deputies arrived and took him into custody.
Johnson said there has been a “lengthy” history of domestic violence between the couple, but he declined to provide details.
Fire and Emergency Services Chief Danny Thompson said one firefighter and his family witnessed the shooting.
“One of the firefighters was confronted by a female that requested help. He just assumed like many people who arrive at a fire station to report a fire or medical emergency. He stepped back to notify his partner then stepped back out when the shooting occurred.”
Thompson declined to name the firefighter who witnessed the shooting out of respect for him and his family. “We want to make sure they get the necessary mental help to take care of them. Even though we’re professionals, it is still a tragic event. It even weighs heavy on the seasoned veterans.”
Thompson said the firefighter, his wife, their two children, ages 1 and 3 actually witnessed the shooting. He also pointed out that their lives were in immediate danger. “Front and center in a matter of seconds, it was their lives, his family’s lives they were looking after. They took the necessary actions and precautions to do exactly that.”
The victim’s children were turned over to the Department of Family and Children’s Services.
District Attorney Lee Darragh said his office will proceed with the appropriate warrants soon.
“Certainly there will be a murder charge, some firearms charges, cruelty to children because of the witnessing of this event by the children.”
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was involved in processing the crime scene.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Dawson County Coach Lacey Killed in Car Accident
News August 12, 2017
UPDATE FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Dawson County High School Coach Jed Lacey was killed this morning and three others injured in a four-vehicle crash on Ga. 400 just south of Exit 6.
Two of those injured were teenagers who were passengers in Lacey’s Dodge Ram pickup truck. The teenagers are not identified, but have been taken to North Fulton Hospital for treatment.
The accident took place around 6:30 a.m. and the road was closed for nearly four hours.
In addition to coaching the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams, Lacey was an assistant coach on the varsity football team.
Lacey was named by fellow coaches as the Region 7-AAA Girls Coach of the Year earlier this year.
A prayer vigil will be held at the Dawson County High School football field tonight and counselors will be available at the school on Monday.
Dawson County Soccer Coach Dies in Car Wreck
News August 12, 2017
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson confirmed to Fetch Your News that Dawson County High School soccer Coach Jed Lacey was killed and several others seriously injured this morning in a car wreck in Forsyth County.
FYN is attempting to reach Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman and will have more details as they become available.
In addition to coaching the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams, Lacey was an assistant coach on the varsity football team.
Lacey was named by fellow coaches as the Region 7-AAA Girls Coach of the Year earlier this year
Dawsonville Man Charged with Rape, Child Molestation
News April 4, 2017
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. –Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson reported Tuesday that Mitchell Lee Ingebrigtsen, 23, of 129 Blacksmill Valley Road in Dawsonville, was arrested at his home Friday and charged with rape, cruelty to children, aggravated child molestation and incest.
The charges stem from an incident that is reported to have occurred between November 13, 2016 and December 4, 2016. Sheriff Johnson said investigations of this nature take time to develop. Ingebrigtsen is accused of committing sexual acts against a child 3 years of age.
He is currently incarcerated in the Dawson County Detention Center. No bond has been set.
No Serious Injuries in Sunday Plane Crash in Dawson Co.
News February 20, 2017
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Goodson Road in Dawson County was closed for nine hours Sunday after a vintage 1946 single engine plane crashed into a tree line just before noon. The pilot was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries before being released. No one on the ground was injured.
Sheriff Jeff Johnson said in an email Monday that the pilot took off from the Gainesville airport and was en route to Ohio when the plane developed engine trouble. Johnson added that the FAA responded to investigate the crash.
Fetch Your News will have more details as they become available
Thieves Steal Washer, Dryer, Two Toilets and Trailer
News April 13, 2017
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Thieves who struck a home construction site on March 25 and made off with a washer, dryer and two toilets apparently needed a way to haul away their plunder so they stole a carry-on trailer as well.
Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson said on April 7, his investigators arrested Melvin Brown, Ellen E. Latka and Cheryl E. Collins all of Goldmine Road in Dawson County in connection with the thefts.
The three were booked into the Dawson County Detention Center, charged with multiple offenses, including theft by receiving stolen property and criminal use of an article with an altered ID tag.
Johnson said during the course of the investigation, Timothy Lee Kirk, also of Goldmine Road was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance Kirk. He is accused of possessing a solid material which field tested positive for and is believed to be Methamphetamine, a schedule II controlled substance.
County, Sheriff Spar Over Budget Request
News September 20, 2017
Chairman Billy Thurmond
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson and the Board of Commissioners butted heads over the sheriff’s budget request during a called meeting Tuesday afternoon.
Johnson says he cannot provide the services required of his office on the $7.3 million budget commissioners have proposed. He requested $8.1 million. But commissioners say Johnson’s predecessor, Billy Carlisle who retired last year, provided those same services on a budget of only $6.8 million. They say the half million dollar increase they have proposed plus a significant pay raise for all county employees, including the sheriff’s office and another $300,000 for capital expenditures, is all the taxpayers can afford.
Sheriff Jeff Johnson
Commissioners will consider the arguments made by Johnson and his attorney, Joey Homans, until Thursday when the final budget is set to be adopted.
In initiating the discussion, Chairman Billy Thurmond said, “It is our goal to help you meet your needs. By no means do we want to run your department. We have no idea how to run your department. That takes money and we’re looking for every means and every way to generate the revenue.”
Commissioner Chris Gaines echoed that sentiment, saying, “I want the very best Sheriff’s Office this county can afford.”
Commissioner Chris Gaines
It is worth noting that the sheriff’s budgeting process is unlike any in state government. Commissioners control the budget, but sheriffs are constitutional officers, elected by the citizens. Their budgets cannot be cut unless the sheriff agrees. If push comes to shove, the sheriff can take his appeal through the court system.
Johnson may have been setting the stage for that when he said, “If you look at our budget, just the line items, take away the salaries and benefits, our budget was reduced. Our overall budget was reduced. That’s where we’re at. We come into this process short on staff, short on uniforms, short on equipment and short on a long laundry list of items.”
Both sides would like to avoid litigation because taxpayers would be forced to pay the legal fees of both the commission and the sheriff’s office, which could cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Commissioner Sharon Fausett
Commissioner Sharon Fausett opened the door to future opportunities for the sheriff’s office to achieve some increases, saying, “This budget isn’t written in stone but we have to start somewhere.” She indicated that she might be open to future adjustments in the budget if revenue rose above expectations and the need was warranted.
“But I don’t want to get below the 15 percent contingency fund,” she said. “I don’t want to raise property taxes and I don’t want to borrow money. I want us to be fiscally responsible.”
Commissioners questioned why the sheriff chose to make purchases outside the county’s purchasing department where discounts and other efficiencies are available. They say that is a duplication of services that costs taxpayers more money.
Johnson explained that for big ticket purchases, in excess of $100,000, he does use the purchasing department but added, “I’m accountable to the voters of Dawson County for how I spend my money and why I choose certain contractors. But often times, the lowest bid will get you just that, the lowest quality. He cited two examples of contractors the county selected in the past that he felt failed to do live up to their contract.
Commissioners have argued in the past that the Sheriff’s Offices in Lumpkin and White counties serve a larger population but have a smaller budget than what is being proposed for Dawson, a county with a population of about 23,000.
For example, the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office budget is $6.6 million and its population is 29,966 while the budget for White County Sheriff Neal Walden is only $5.4 million for a population of 28,000.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com