GORDON COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE
THEFT BY CONVERSION DECERTIFIED 2023 CASE NUMBER 01-0191-14-20
On Monday, March 9, 2020, the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Calhoun Regional Office, regarding the possible theft of bond money.
On Monday, March 9, 2020, at approximately 11:45 am, SPECIAL AGENT ADAM JONES was located at the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office. S/A JONES was at this location to obtain a briefing from MAJOR PAT BEDFORD regarding the theft of bond money. During the briefing, essentially the following information was obtained.
MAJ BEDFORD was contacted by CAPTAIN MIKE GARIGAN on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, regarding missing cash at the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office Jail. SERGEANT STEVEN COCHRAN had been contacted by the Gordon County Probate Court on February 28,2020 regarding a cash bond for $1,020.00 and paperwork that was associated with arrestee ERIN LEGATE. The bond had been paid on January 1, 2020. ERIN’S file was reviewed and the proper paperwork was in the file. SGT COCHRAN notified SERGEANT JONATHON LOVINS of the issue regarding the bond.
SGT COCHRAN and SGT LOVINS proceeded to the jail sergeant’s office where the bond receipt book is kept. SGT LOVINS made the comment that he remembered the name, ERIN LEGATE and that he had taken the cash bond from the jail. The cash bond was placed in a drawer at SGT LOVINS residence.
SGT LOVINS later told LIEUTENANT JOHN VICK that his wife had found the cash bond and paperwork in the laundry once it had been washed. The cash bond and paperwork had been laid out to dry. SGT LOVINS had gone to his residence on February 28, 2020 to retrieve the cash bond and paperwork. SGT LOVINS was confronted with the fact that the cash bond and paperwork did not appear to have
been wet. SGT LOVINS recanted and stated his wife had found the cash bond and paperwork prior to them being washed.
Jail administration is in the process of reviewing bonds and bond paperwork. There are a total of four other incidents uncovered that involve SGT LOVINS and cash at the jail. MAJ BEDFORD provided S/A JONES with Internal Reports regarding the incidents. Copies of the reports are attached to this investigative summary.
(1.) A cash bond in the amount of $1,045.00 missing. The bond was posted on behalf of inmate ESMERALDA DE LA CRUZ TONIS for the Probate Court of Gordon County.
(2.) A cash bond in the amount $1,145.00 missing. The bond was posted on behalf of SANTORIA FRASIER for the City of Fairmount.
(3.) $100.00 was missing from a cash bond. At the time of discovery, SGT LOVINS personally paid the $100.00 shortage and stated that it was his responsibility.
(4.) $300.00 missing from an inmate cash deposit. This shortage was noticed on June 28, 2019.
S/A JONES asked how long SGT LOVINS would have had access to inmate money and cash bonds. SGT LOVINS was hired in January 2017; however, he would not have had access to the money until he was promoted to Officer in Charge (OIC). SGT LOVINS had been promoted to OIC on October 15, 2017. This would have
allowed SGT LOVINS partial access to the money when the sergeant wasn’t available. SGT LOVINS was later promoted to sergeant on March 19, 2018. Once making sergeant, SGT LOVINS would have full access to the jail money.
S/A JONES asked MAJ BEDFORD to explain the process for the collection of money at the jail. Once an inmate is booked a file is created. Copies of their paperwork, citations, and receipts are placed in the file. Copies of the paperwork and money are placed in an envelope, logged into a ledger, and then placed in a safe. The safe is located in the jail sergeant’s office. Only certain jail supervisors have access to the safe.
The jail lieutenant, or captain, removes the envelopes at a later date. The paperwork and money are disbursed to the proper courts. This is tracked by the jail lieutenant.
S/A JONES asked if there was video in the jail sergeant’s office. MAJ BEDFORD advised, no.
S/A JONES was provided with SGT LOVINS’ promotion paperwork. S/A JONES was also provided with SGT LOVINS’ Jailer Oath of Office. A copy of the paperwork is attached to this investigative summary.
MAJ BEDFORD was asked if SGT LOVINS had any off duty employment. SGT LOVINS works for G&W Properties and Wanda Browder Construction. S/A JONES was provided with a Gordon County Sheriff’s Office Secondary Employment Request Form. A copy of the form is attached to this investigative summary. The form was dated August 9, 2019. The form also notes that both businesses are owned by SGT LOVINS family members.
S/A JONES asked MAJ BEDFORD if there was anything else he has observed regarding SGT LOVINS that was out of place. SGT LOVINS was scheduled to go to basic mandate training at the end of 2019. On November 11, 2019, SGT LOVINS submitted a letter withdrawing from the training. The withdrawal was noted for personal issues. A copy of the withdrawal letter is attached to this investigative summary. MAJ BEDFORD advised that this is strange because becoming mandated allows a jailer to advance their career at the sheriff’s office.
ATTACHMENTS
TO BE CONTINUED, THIS IS A LARGE CASE FILE!
CONTINUE WITH ATTACHMENT OTHER #2: Esmeralda De La Cruz Tonis
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