On November 2, the MANS Task Force Officers worked in conjunction with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, Gainesville Police Criminal Investigations Division, HCSO ACE Unit, HCSO Reserve Unit, HCSO Jail, and HCSO Crime Scene Unit to conduct an undercover prostitution sting operation.
The investigation was a short term operation initiated on the evening of November 2 in the Buford, Hall County, Georgia area.
Undercover officers targeted suspects engaged in online prostitution and pandering.
The following suspects were arrested for the listed charges during the investigation.
•Lisa Bruzzi, 27, of Dacula, prostitution.
•Tammy Johns, 47, of Lula, prostitution.
•Megan Elizabeth Butler, 40, of Lula, prostitution.
•Stephane Valdi Fischer, 35, of Lawrenceville, pandering and obstruction of an officer.
For more crime coverage, see this week's issue of the Banks County News.
Public Safety
Man reports being victim of scam
A man said reported being the victim of a scam after he was approached in the parking lot of a Banks Crossing business by a man trying to sell him a home theater system. He gave the man $50 for the home theater system. However, when he got home, he found the item in the box was not what he thought he was buying. He also said several wires that were needed were not in the box.
Other incidents reported to the sheriff’s office last week includes the following:
•fraud when a woman said a man called her and said her Social Security number had been cancelled.
•domestic dispute when a deputy traveling on Highway 59 saw a man slam a woman’s head into the dash of the car. He spoke to the couple and offered the woman a ride to a relative’s house. She declined and said she would walk.
•damage to property at Beaverdam Baptist Church when someone broke the exterior window pane with a BB gun.
For more crime news, see this week's issue of the Banks County News.
Other incidents reported to the sheriff’s office last week includes the following:
•fraud when a woman said a man called her and said her Social Security number had been cancelled.
•domestic dispute when a deputy traveling on Highway 59 saw a man slam a woman’s head into the dash of the car. He spoke to the couple and offered the woman a ride to a relative’s house. She declined and said she would walk.
•damage to property at Beaverdam Baptist Church when someone broke the exterior window pane with a BB gun.
For more crime news, see this week's issue of the Banks County News.
Burglary reported at storage unit
A burglary was reported when everything was taken from a storage unit at a Damascus Road, Homer, location.
Other incidents reported to the Banks County Sheriff’s Office last week includes the following:
•verbal domestic dispute at a Yonah Homer Road, Lula, residence, between a woman and her son.
•damage to property at Home Depot at Banks Crossing when a man found a dent in the bumper of his truck.
•theft when a woman reported $120 missing from the cash register at the restaurant where she works.
•domestic dispute at a Grayhill Drive, Homer, residence when a woman came to get her belongings.
Other incidents reported to the Banks County Sheriff’s Office last week includes the following:
•verbal domestic dispute at a Yonah Homer Road, Lula, residence, between a woman and her son.
•damage to property at Home Depot at Banks Crossing when a man found a dent in the bumper of his truck.
•theft when a woman reported $120 missing from the cash register at the restaurant where she works.
•domestic dispute at a Grayhill Drive, Homer, residence when a woman came to get her belongings.
Sheriff's Office participates in 'Operation Watchful Eye'
The Banks County Sheriff’s Office recently participated in Operation Watchful Eye, an initiative involving Georgia’s sheriffs held from September 13-21. During this designated time, sheriff’s offices across Georgia checked for violations of state registration laws.
Banks County presently has 70 registered sex offenders. Prior to this operation, Banks County Sheriff’s Office completed checks on 36 of the 70. The final 34 registered sex offenders living in Banks County were checked during this operation which produced one felony violation arrest involving a firearm. A total of 38 sex offenders were arrested across the state.
In 2015, the first coordinated effort across the state was launched to conduct residence verifications and compliance checks of registered sex offenders during a specific time period. The coordinated initiative became known as Operation Watchful Eye. Due to the overwhelming success of the original initiative, Georgia’s sheriffs have made this an annual operation and recently conducted Operation Watchful Eye III.
The Office of Sheriff is mandated by law to register sex offenders, and to keep the public informed of where registered sex offenders reside, work and attend school. Throughout the year, each sheriff’s office verifies addresses provided by registered sex offenders. While conducting residence verifications, deputies also assure additional registration requirements are being adhered to.
The purpose of this statewide effort is to create awareness that sheriffs’ offices work collectively, network, and actively engage their office by participating in statewide verification checks and other non-compliant matters, in order to make our state safer. In numerous counties deputy sheriffs, U.S. Marshals, U.S. Probation officers and Department of Community Supervision probation/parole officers worked together to verify sex offenders are in compliance with the law.
Preliminary reporting by 65 sheriff’s offices reveals a total of 10,601 registered sex offenders, 214 predators and 301 homeless sex offenders are currently living in their counties During the eight-day operation, 6,200 residence verifications were conducted, 35 new warrants were issued for violations of the sex offender registry law, 82 new sex offenders moved into the reporting counties, 13 warrants were issued for new sex offenses, 69 warrants issued for residency violations of the sex offender registry, and 46 warrants issued for other miscellaneous new charges. More importantly, it was discovered that 384 sex offenders had absconded from their last known address which will require the sheriff to work with other supporting agencies and track these individuals down.
Remember, for the protection of your family and neighbors, visit your local sheriff’s office website or visit the http://gbi.georgia.gov/georgia-sex-offender-registry for more information on the whereabouts of registered sex offenders in your community.
For more public safety news, see this week's issue of The Banks County News.
Banks County presently has 70 registered sex offenders. Prior to this operation, Banks County Sheriff’s Office completed checks on 36 of the 70. The final 34 registered sex offenders living in Banks County were checked during this operation which produced one felony violation arrest involving a firearm. A total of 38 sex offenders were arrested across the state.
In 2015, the first coordinated effort across the state was launched to conduct residence verifications and compliance checks of registered sex offenders during a specific time period. The coordinated initiative became known as Operation Watchful Eye. Due to the overwhelming success of the original initiative, Georgia’s sheriffs have made this an annual operation and recently conducted Operation Watchful Eye III.
The Office of Sheriff is mandated by law to register sex offenders, and to keep the public informed of where registered sex offenders reside, work and attend school. Throughout the year, each sheriff’s office verifies addresses provided by registered sex offenders. While conducting residence verifications, deputies also assure additional registration requirements are being adhered to.
The purpose of this statewide effort is to create awareness that sheriffs’ offices work collectively, network, and actively engage their office by participating in statewide verification checks and other non-compliant matters, in order to make our state safer. In numerous counties deputy sheriffs, U.S. Marshals, U.S. Probation officers and Department of Community Supervision probation/parole officers worked together to verify sex offenders are in compliance with the law.
Preliminary reporting by 65 sheriff’s offices reveals a total of 10,601 registered sex offenders, 214 predators and 301 homeless sex offenders are currently living in their counties During the eight-day operation, 6,200 residence verifications were conducted, 35 new warrants were issued for violations of the sex offender registry law, 82 new sex offenders moved into the reporting counties, 13 warrants were issued for new sex offenses, 69 warrants issued for residency violations of the sex offender registry, and 46 warrants issued for other miscellaneous new charges. More importantly, it was discovered that 384 sex offenders had absconded from their last known address which will require the sheriff to work with other supporting agencies and track these individuals down.
Remember, for the protection of your family and neighbors, visit your local sheriff’s office website or visit the http://gbi.georgia.gov/georgia-sex-offender-registry for more information on the whereabouts of registered sex offenders in your community.
For more public safety news, see this week's issue of The Banks County News.
Phone purchased found to be counterfeit
A man said he met someone to purchase a $400 cell phone only to find out later that it was counterfeit.
In another fraud report, a man said he met someone at a Hwy. 441 location to buy an iphone. He said he paid $125 for it but later found out through the phone company that it was stolen.
Other incidents reported to the sheriff’s office last week include the following:
•a Homer man said prescription pain medication was stolen from his home. He discovered it missing after a birthday party at his house.
•an employee at a Highway 441, Commerce, business said the cash register was short by $120.
•dispute between a woman and her adult son as they drove along Oscar Rucker Road, Homer. She said she got out of the truck and called 9-1-1. She said her son hit her ruck with his fist, causing it to crack.
In another fraud report, a man said he met someone at a Hwy. 441 location to buy an iphone. He said he paid $125 for it but later found out through the phone company that it was stolen.
Other incidents reported to the sheriff’s office last week include the following:
•a Homer man said prescription pain medication was stolen from his home. He discovered it missing after a birthday party at his house.
•an employee at a Highway 441, Commerce, business said the cash register was short by $120.
•dispute between a woman and her adult son as they drove along Oscar Rucker Road, Homer. She said she got out of the truck and called 9-1-1. She said her son hit her ruck with his fist, causing it to crack.
GBI seeks help identifying human remains
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation continues to seek the public’s assistance in identifying human remains found in Banks County, near Interstate 85 in February of 2017.
A GBI forensic artist has completed a skull reconstruction and sketch.
See this week's issue of the Banks County News for the sketch and more details.
A GBI forensic artist has completed a skull reconstruction and sketch.
See this week's issue of the Banks County News for the sketch and more details.
Woman reports phone scam
A woman reported to a deputy with the Banks County Sheriff’s Office that someone called her claiming she had won $3.5 million and a Mercedes-Benz.
The woman said she was asked to send $995 to claim her prize. She did not do this and instead called the sheriff’s office. The officer told her that this was a scam.
Other incidents reported to the sheriff’s office last week included the following:
•shoplifting at Wal-Mart when someone rang up a lesser price than items sold for.
•domestic dispute at a Gillsville address where a teenager is allegedly hitting his mother.
•shoplifting at Wal-Mart when a man left the store with items that he had not paid for.
•interference with custody at a Maysville residence.
•suspicious person at a Hampton Court, Commerce, location.
•fraud against a man who bought something online from a yard sale site and didn’t receive it.
•verbal dispute between a woman and her ex-husband at a Historic Homer Highway location.
•domestic dispute between a divorced couple at a McDonald Circle, Commerce, address.
•simple battery during a domestic dispute at a Yonah-Homer Road, Alto, residence.
•dispute between a woman and her brother over who owned a piece of family land.
•a seventh grader said he was attacked by another student in the boy’s bathroom at the middle school.
For more crime news, see this week's issue of the Banks County News.
The woman said she was asked to send $995 to claim her prize. She did not do this and instead called the sheriff’s office. The officer told her that this was a scam.
Other incidents reported to the sheriff’s office last week included the following:
•shoplifting at Wal-Mart when someone rang up a lesser price than items sold for.
•domestic dispute at a Gillsville address where a teenager is allegedly hitting his mother.
•shoplifting at Wal-Mart when a man left the store with items that he had not paid for.
•interference with custody at a Maysville residence.
•suspicious person at a Hampton Court, Commerce, location.
•fraud against a man who bought something online from a yard sale site and didn’t receive it.
•verbal dispute between a woman and her ex-husband at a Historic Homer Highway location.
•domestic dispute between a divorced couple at a McDonald Circle, Commerce, address.
•simple battery during a domestic dispute at a Yonah-Homer Road, Alto, residence.
•dispute between a woman and her brother over who owned a piece of family land.
•a seventh grader said he was attacked by another student in the boy’s bathroom at the middle school.
For more crime news, see this week's issue of the Banks County News.
Homer man reports harassment through social media
A Homer man reported to the Banks County Sheriff’s Office that his son is being harassed through social media.
The man said someone stole his son’s Snapchat password and sent nude photos of himself to several people.
Other incidents reported to the sheriff’s office last week includes the following:
•aggravated assault during a dispute between two women at a Stevens Road, Commerce, residence. One woman was hit several times with a ball bat.
•window broken in a motel room at Banks Crossing.
•tire slashed on a vehicle at a Buckeye Trail Drive, Commerce, location.
•two reports of shoplifting at Wal-Mart.
•domestic dispute at a Damascus Road, Homer, address.
•chickens killed by a dog at a Hudson River Drive, Commerce, residence.
•mailbox damaged at a Hebron Road, Commerce, location.
•vehicle, fork lift, generator and other items taken from an Old Orchard Road, Baldwin, location.
•unruly juvenile at a Springdale Road, Homer, location.
•railing damaged at a Frontage Road, Commerce, address.
•gas drive-off at an Otis Brown Road, Baldwin, location.
•simple battery at a North Mangum Road, Maysville, residence.
•domestic dispute at a Hebron Court, Commerce, address.
•custody dispute at a Highway 105, Baldwin, location.
•storage facility damaged at a Yonah-Homer Road, Homer, address.
The man said someone stole his son’s Snapchat password and sent nude photos of himself to several people.
Other incidents reported to the sheriff’s office last week includes the following:
•aggravated assault during a dispute between two women at a Stevens Road, Commerce, residence. One woman was hit several times with a ball bat.
•window broken in a motel room at Banks Crossing.
•tire slashed on a vehicle at a Buckeye Trail Drive, Commerce, location.
•two reports of shoplifting at Wal-Mart.
•domestic dispute at a Damascus Road, Homer, address.
•chickens killed by a dog at a Hudson River Drive, Commerce, residence.
•mailbox damaged at a Hebron Road, Commerce, location.
•vehicle, fork lift, generator and other items taken from an Old Orchard Road, Baldwin, location.
•unruly juvenile at a Springdale Road, Homer, location.
•railing damaged at a Frontage Road, Commerce, address.
•gas drive-off at an Otis Brown Road, Baldwin, location.
•simple battery at a North Mangum Road, Maysville, residence.
•domestic dispute at a Hebron Court, Commerce, address.
•custody dispute at a Highway 105, Baldwin, location.
•storage facility damaged at a Yonah-Homer Road, Homer, address.
Homer man reports harassment through social media
A Homer man reported to the Banks County Sheriff’s Office that his son is being harassed through social media.
The man said someone stole his son’s Snapchat password and sent nude photos of himself to several people.
Other incidents reported to the sheriff’s office last week includes the following:
•aggravated assault during a dispute between two women at a Stevens Road, Commerce, residence. One woman was hit several times with a ball bat.
•window broken in a motel room at Banks Crossing.
•tire slashed on a vehicle at a Buckeye Trail Drive, Commerce, location.
•two reports of shoplifting at Wal-Mart.
•domestic dispute at a Damascus Road, Homer, address.
•chickens killed by a dog at a Hudson River Drive, Commerce, residence.
•mailbox damaged at a Hebron Road, Commerce, location.
•vehicle, fork lift, generator and other items taken from an Old Orchard Road, Baldwin, location.
•unruly juvenile at a Springdale Road, Homer, location.
•railing damaged at a Frontage Road, Commerce, address.
•gas drive-off at an Otis Brown Road, Baldwin, location.
•simple battery at a North Mangum Road, Maysville, residence.
•domestic dispute at a Hebron Court, Commerce, address.
•custody dispute at a Highway 105, Baldwin, location.
•storage facility damaged at a Yonah-Homer Road, Homer, address.
The man said someone stole his son’s Snapchat password and sent nude photos of himself to several people.
Other incidents reported to the sheriff’s office last week includes the following:
•aggravated assault during a dispute between two women at a Stevens Road, Commerce, residence. One woman was hit several times with a ball bat.
•window broken in a motel room at Banks Crossing.
•tire slashed on a vehicle at a Buckeye Trail Drive, Commerce, location.
•two reports of shoplifting at Wal-Mart.
•domestic dispute at a Damascus Road, Homer, address.
•chickens killed by a dog at a Hudson River Drive, Commerce, residence.
•mailbox damaged at a Hebron Road, Commerce, location.
•vehicle, fork lift, generator and other items taken from an Old Orchard Road, Baldwin, location.
•unruly juvenile at a Springdale Road, Homer, location.
•railing damaged at a Frontage Road, Commerce, address.
•gas drive-off at an Otis Brown Road, Baldwin, location.
•simple battery at a North Mangum Road, Maysville, residence.
•domestic dispute at a Hebron Court, Commerce, address.
•custody dispute at a Highway 105, Baldwin, location.
•storage facility damaged at a Yonah-Homer Road, Homer, address.
Incidents reported to sheriff’s office
Incidents reported to the Banks County Sheriff’s Office last week include the following:
•a woman said that someone broke the window in her car while she and her daughter were watching a movie at Commerce Cinemas. She said this is the second time someone has broken the window in her car. She said she does not know who is doing this.
•custody dispute when a man said his wife did not bring his children to the designated pick-up stop where he was supposed to pick up the kids for a weekend visit. He said this has happened two weekends.
•verbal domestic dispute between a woman and her boyfriend at a Culpepper Road, Commerce, address.
•domestic dispute between a married couple at a Yonah-Homer Road location.
•dispute at a Burma Road, Alto, address between two men over one man’s dog harming the other man’s chickens.
•verbal dispute between several people at Wilson Shoals Wildlife, Alto, location. The dispute arose when one man was asked to keep his dog away from a group of people and their dog.
•verbal domestic dispute at a Meadow Creek Court, Commerce, address. A woman reported that her husband and his two sons were in an argument.
•leather coat, weed eater, chainsaw, air compressor, hand-truck and tools taken from a Barnes Road, Commerce, residence.
•vehicle damaged while parked at a Boling Road, Homer, address.
•custody dispute at a Vaughn Road, Homer, location.
•a woman said her husband, who she is separated from, posted nude photos of her on social media, as well as sending them to her family and friends.
For more crime coverage, see this week's issue of the Banks County News.
•a woman said that someone broke the window in her car while she and her daughter were watching a movie at Commerce Cinemas. She said this is the second time someone has broken the window in her car. She said she does not know who is doing this.
•custody dispute when a man said his wife did not bring his children to the designated pick-up stop where he was supposed to pick up the kids for a weekend visit. He said this has happened two weekends.
•verbal domestic dispute between a woman and her boyfriend at a Culpepper Road, Commerce, address.
•domestic dispute between a married couple at a Yonah-Homer Road location.
•dispute at a Burma Road, Alto, address between two men over one man’s dog harming the other man’s chickens.
•verbal dispute between several people at Wilson Shoals Wildlife, Alto, location. The dispute arose when one man was asked to keep his dog away from a group of people and their dog.
•verbal domestic dispute at a Meadow Creek Court, Commerce, address. A woman reported that her husband and his two sons were in an argument.
•leather coat, weed eater, chainsaw, air compressor, hand-truck and tools taken from a Barnes Road, Commerce, residence.
•vehicle damaged while parked at a Boling Road, Homer, address.
•custody dispute at a Vaughn Road, Homer, location.
•a woman said her husband, who she is separated from, posted nude photos of her on social media, as well as sending them to her family and friends.
For more crime coverage, see this week's issue of the Banks County News.
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