Press Releases
Sheriff Announces Deputy Receives Instructor Training
Monday, July 21, 2025,
On Friday, July 18, Sheriff’s Sergeant Bobby Garcia successfully completed the Driver Instructor Training Program (DITP) course at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC). This training course certified Sergeant Garcia to instruct other peace officers in basic and emergency driving skills. The intensive 2 week course itself is exclusive, and has a limited success rate among candidates. Sergeant Garcia, who has been with the Sheriff’s Office since 2012 and holds a number of other instructor certifications, is the first Gordon County officer to successfully graduate from this training course. He is shown here with his classmates, front row, second from right.
Veteran Deputy Honored With ‘Quilt of Valor’
Friday, July 18, 2025…
Detective Dylan Payne was honored today by “Quilts of Valor”, a veterans support organization that recognizes veterans who’ve served in all branches of the armed forces. Detective Payne, an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, was presented with a hand sewn quilt in recognition of his military service. Detective Payne has been employed by GCSO since 2020, and currently specializes in the investigation of crimes against children .
Photo: (left to right, Det. Garrett Saylors, K9 Maggie (seated), Det. Corey Childers, SFC Lindsey Azar, Det. Dylan Payne (honoree), Lieutenant Steven Yancey, Det. Cody Jones, Captain Dayln Pulliam, and Ms. Sonya Ririe of ‘Quilts of Valor’.
SHERIFF WARNS OF TEXT DOCUMENT SCAM:
Monday, July 14, 2025…
GCSO has received a report of an elaborate text scam wherein the victim received a text message purporting to be an official legal document. The document threatens the recipient with arrest for “contempt of court” and “ failure to appear “, referencing COVID19 and the CARES Act. It also contains a mishmash of legalistic language from different levels of courts, fake case numbers, stamps, and a hybrid flag. It even had a GCSO logo (available from the internet) attached.
If anyone else receives such a text document, do not contact the sender.
If the Sheriff’s Office has any type of court document whatsoever, it will ALWAYS be delivered by hand, by a uniformed deputy in a clearly marked patrol car.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Thursday, July 10, 2025
Sheriff Warns of Telephone Scammers Posing as Deputies:
GCSO has responded to a number of reports of our local citizens receiving telephone calls from persons purporting to be deputy sheriffs and demanding payment of fictitious “fines” and/or jury duty. The scammers threaten the victims with “bench warrants “ and/or jail.
This is a total fraud, designed to lure the unsuspecting citizen into sending money to a fictitious destination, usually via the internet.
We have reason to believe these calls originate overseas.
The Sheriff’s Office NEVER collects fines. If we have court related business with anyone the matter is always handled in person by a deputy in uniform and in a clearly marked patrol car.
If you receive ANY type of suspicious call, NEVER give out any kind of personal or financial information,
JUST HANG UP.
NEW C.H.A.M.P.S. Instructor …
July 1, 2025
Sheriff Mitch Ralston announces the assignment of Deputy Erik Ochoa as the newest instructor in the Sheriff’s Office’s C.H.A.M.P.S. (Choosing Healthy Activities and Methods Promoting Safety)Program. The program, developed by the Georgia Sheriffs Association, is provided to all of the public elementary schools, focusing on topics such as internet safety, substance abuse, peer pressure, ATV safety, and a host of other subjects. It is taught in over 100 Georgia counties by their respective Sheriff’s Offices.
Pictured here: (left to right) Brent Loeffler, GSA Training Director, ‘Champ’ the mascot, Deputy Ochoa, and Fannin County Sheriff’s Captain Darvin Couch presenting Deputy Ochoa’s instructors certificate.
SHERIFF MOURNS LOSS OF CLIFFORD FREE, Longtime Public Safety Leader and Pastor:
Saturday, June 28, 2025
Sheriff Mitch Ralston joined the community in mourning the passing of Reverend Clifford Free. Reverend Free was popular and well known, and was a leader for many years in the emergency medical services and emergency management services here. Sheriff Ralston said, “I knew Clifford my whole life. He was very active in public safety for decades. He was not only a dedicated public servant, he was a true servant of the Lord. I will miss his cheerfulness, his laughter, and his readiness to serve others whenever he could. He was a fine friend, and the thoughts and prayers of my staff and myself are with his loved ones.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
Deputy Commended for Burglary-in-Progress Arrest, Recovery of Stolen Property:
Yesterday (Friday, June 27, 2025) Sheriff Mitch Ralston awarded a Sheriff’s Commendation Medal to Deputy Ben Turner, in recognition of an arrest in the early morning hours on June 24, wherein Deputy Turner apprehended a Plainville woman involved in a number of break-ins at a self storage facility. The facility was located near Plainville, and Turner was patrolling particularly to detect and prevent such crimes. Follow up investigation by our detectives resulted in two additional charges against the defendant in connection with two unrelated residential burglaries. A large amount of stolen property was also recovered. Sheriff Ralston praised Turner’s “alertness and patrol skills”.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
WELL KNOWN S.R.O. Retires:
Yesterday (Friday, June 27) Sheriff Mitch Ralston awarded Sergeant Elbert Shelley the Distinguished Service Cross, and an appreciation plaque, upon his retirement from GCSO. Elbert served from 2009 until now. From 2012 until retirement, he was a School Resource Officer in the County Schools. He was well known, liked, and respected by the school staff, students, and the public.
Elbert had an impeccable service record and he will be missed not only in the schools but by his colleagues. Sheriff Ralston praised Elbert, particularly his dedication to the community in a variety of roles. We wish Elbert all the best in his retirement.
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER TRAINING…
Monday, June 22, 2025
Captain Jack Jenkins recently attended the Georgia School Safety and Homeland Security Conference June 16-18. The training was focused on school resource officers, and topics included “Lessons Learned From September 4th”, “Gang Awareness in Schools”, and “Role of the SRO and Relationships with School Administrations”. Captain Jenkins supervises the Sheriff’s SRO program, a position he has occupied since 2010.
UPDATE …UPDATE…UPDATE :
4:30pm Sunday , June 22, 2025
JEREMY PEEBLES has been located SAFE.
MISSING PERSON:
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Gordon County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) needs the public’s help in locating JEREMY PEEBLES, age 45, 5’10”, 200 lbs, brown hair/hazel eyes, last seen wearing a black hoodie, jeans or khakis, and white athletic shoes. He was reported missing at 1:30pm today. He reportedly left his residence voluntarily, on foot, at about 2am this morning , and was last seen in the vicinity of 1386 US Highway 41 North near Calhoun. Anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of JEREMY PEEBLES is urged to call GCSO or 911.
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