RICHMOND COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
PUBLICLY DOCUMENTED ARRESTS, TERMINATIONS, DISMISSALS AND SIGNIFICANT EMPLOYEE SEPARATIONS
SEPTEMBER 1, 2011 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1, 2026
PUBLIC-SOURCE RESEARCH REPORT
Research cutoff: September 1, 2026
IMPORTANT: This report was compiled entirely from publicly available information. No Georgia Open Records Act request was submitted specifically for this research.
INTRODUCTION
This report attempts to identify Richmond County Sheriff’s Office employees who, between September 1, 2011 and September 1, 2026, were publicly documented as having been arrested, criminally charged, terminated, fired, dismissed, or resigned in connection with significant misconduct or disciplinary action.
The research includes sworn deputies, investigators, supervisors, jailers and other RCSO personnel when the employee’s employment with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office was relevant to the incident.
The report was compiled from publicly available Richmond County Sheriff’s Office information, Georgia Bureau of Investigation releases, U.S. Department of Justice records, Georgia POST-related records reported by news organizations, court reporting, local news coverage and other publicly indexed sources.
This is a public-source research report, NOT an official Richmond County Sheriff’s Office personnel database.
An arrest is an allegation and is not proof of guilt. A criminal charge is not a conviction. Several cases identified below ultimately resulted in dismissed charges, declined indictments, acquittals, guilty pleas to different or federal charges, or other dispositions.
Likewise, termination is an employment action and does not necessarily mean that the employee committed a criminal offense.
THE 15-YEAR WINDOW
The requested period is exactly 15 years:
START: September 1, 2011
END: September 1, 2026
This is slightly different from the original “since 2012” request.
A deputy who was fired before September 1, 2011 is therefore outside this report even if that person was later arrested.
For example, former RCSO Sgt. Jessie Jackson was fired in June 2011 for falsifying a hit-and-run report. He was later arrested in an unrelated 2015 incident after leaving RCSO. Because his RCSO termination occurred before September 1, 2011 and he was no longer an RCSO employee when arrested, he is not included in the 75-person count.
SUMMARY
Based on publicly accessible information located during this research, 75 individual Richmond County Sheriff’s Office employees have been identified within the 15-year period as falling into at least one of these categories:
• Arrested while employed by RCSO
• Criminally charged while employed by RCSO
• Fired or terminated for misconduct
• Resigned following an arrest or significant disciplinary investigation
• Resigned in lieu of termination
• Retired or otherwise separated while facing a significant criminal case arising from RCSO employment
• Other significant employment separation specifically documented in connection with misconduct
The number 75 should NOT be interpreted as “75 RCSO employees convicted of crimes.”
It should also NOT be interpreted as “75 employees were fired.”
Some were arrested but remained employed. Some resigned. Some were fired without criminal charges. Some were ultimately cleared or had charges dismissed.
2011
SEPTEMBER 1 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2011
No RCSO employee has been located through the publicly accessible sources reviewed who can be confidently added to the requested categories during the September-December 2011 portion of the 15-year period.
A former RCSO sergeant, Jessie Jackson, was fired in June 2011 for falsifying a hit-and-run report, but that termination occurred before the September 1, 2011 cutoff and therefore is excluded from this report.
2012
No individual has been identified through the publicly accessible material reviewed with sufficient documentation to establish an RCSO arrest, termination or significant separation during calendar year 2012.
This does NOT establish that no such personnel action occurred.
The lack of an indexed online personnel archive makes the early years of this 15-year period substantially more difficult to reconstruct than the later years.
2013
WADE H. SMITH
Date: June 4, 2013 termination; August 2013 arrest
Position: Deputy
Reason: Evidence-handling and documentation violations involving evidence seized during a criminal investigation.
Employment action: Terminated.
Criminal action: Subsequently arrested and charged in connection with the investigation.
AUSTIN SHEPHERD
Date: December 31, 2013
Position: Deputy
Reason: Internal investigation concerning prior conduct. Public reporting stated that Shepherd admitted past drug use.
Employment action: Terminated.
Criminal arrest located: No corresponding criminal arrest was established through the public sources reviewed.
EUGENE W. DANNER JR.
Date: 2013 employment history; later arrests
Position: Deputy
Important background: Danner had previously been fired from RCSO in 2006, before the period covered by this report, and was rehired in 2013.
He subsequently became involved in multiple DUI cases during the period covered by this report and ultimately resigned.
He is included because his arrests and later separation occurred during the 15-year period.
2014
No additional employee has been identified through publicly accessible sources with sufficient documentation to establish an RCSO arrest or termination during 2014.
This year remains one of the areas where an Open Records request could substantially improve the completeness of the database.
2015
DONNIE CRAWFORD
Date: 2015
Position: Deputy jailer
Reason: Excessive or unnecessary use of a Taser on detention-center inmate Carlos Seals.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal charge located: No criminal charge established in the public sources reviewed.
ANTHONY BOTTOM
Date: December 8, 2015
Position: Deputy
Charges: Simple battery and criminal trespass under the Family Violence Act.
Reason: Domestic violence allegation involving his former wife.
Employment action: Placed on administrative leave following arrest. A definitive later separation date was not established from the public sources reviewed.
EUGENE W. DANNER JR.
Date: June 27, 2015
Position: Deputy
Charges: DUI and failure to maintain lane.
Employment action: Remained with RCSO following the incident and was reassigned to jail duties.
He later returned to deputy duties and eventually resigned following another DUI arrest.
2016
DANAFREY ALVIN CLANTON
Date: August 6, 2016
Position: Deputy
Charges: Misdemeanor battery under the Family Violence Act and misdemeanor criminal trespass.
Reason: Domestic dispute.
Employment action: Resigned August 10, 2016 following arrest and administrative leave.
JUSTIN POSTON
Date: 2016
Position: Deputy
Charge: DUI.
Employment action: Public reporting indicates disciplinary action, but a termination was not established through the sources reviewed.
GREGORY J. MIMS
Date: December 27, 2016
Position: Deputy jailer
Charges: Crossing a guard line with contraband and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Allegedly providing tobacco to an inmate at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.
Employment action: Terminated.
Criminal action: Arrested December 27, 2016.
2017
No additional RCSO employee has been identified through publicly accessible sources with sufficient documentation to confidently add a new arrest or termination during 2017.
There were, however, multiple use-of-force and personnel investigations during this period. Some became significant only after later investigations or lawsuits.
2018
THOMAS ANDREWS
Date: February 19, 2018
Position: Deputy
Charge/reason: Affray following an off-duty fight.
Investigators determined Andrews initiated the fight.
Employment action: Terminated February 19, 2018.
RICHARD ELIM
Date: October 2018
Position: Lieutenant
Charges: Violation of oath by public officer, false statements/writings and theft by deception.
Reason: Allegations concerning inspections of Georgia Lottery gaming machines.
Employment action: Fired.
JAMES OUZTS
Date: October 2018
Position: Corporal
Charges/reason: Violation of oath of office and theft by deception.
Reason: Allegedly receiving private compensation for special-duty work while also receiving county compensation for the same work.
Employment action: Fired.
CHARLES GUNN
Date: November 7, 2018
Position: Deputy
Charges: Simple battery-family violence and criminal trespass-family violence.
Reason: Domestic violence allegation involving his wife.
Employment action: Resigned following arrest/investigation.
AARON HANNSZ
Date: November 15, 2018
Position: Deputy
Charge: DUI.
Employment action: Placed on administrative leave. A definitive termination was not established through the sources reviewed.
ADAM WADE
Date: November 2018
Position: Deputy jailer
Charges: DUI and hit-and-run.
Reason: Allegedly struck another vehicle while intoxicated and continued driving.
Employment action: Resigned.
EUGENE W. DANNER JR.
Date: 2018
Position: Deputy
Charge: DUI.
Employment action: Resigned following his second alcohol-related arrest after being rehired by RCSO.
JASON “MOOSE” CUNNINGHAM
Date: 2018
Position: Deputy
Reason: Positive cocaine test following an on-duty vehicle crash.
Employment action: Resigned in lieu of termination.
Important: Cunningham was later arrested in 2020 on an unrelated murder charge after leaving RCSO. That later arrest is not counted as an RCSO employment arrest.
2019
TRAVIS CLARK
Date: May 29, 2019
Position: Deputy
Reason: Intoxication while performing a law-enforcement function and alleged dishonesty during the internal investigation.
Employment action: Fired.
JASON MCCALL
Date: 2019
Position: Deputy
Charges/reason: Domestic incident involving allegations of aggravated assault and child cruelty.
Employment action: Fired following the investigation.
2020
KENDRICK QUICK
Date: January 21, 2020
Position: Deputy
Charges: Rape and violation of oath of office.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal action: Arrested and prosecuted.
LAMAR ANDREWS
Date: July 7, 2020
Position: Deputy
Charge: Public indecency.
Reason: Arrest arising from alleged inappropriate sexual conduct at a gym.
Employment action: Fired.
MARLON CAMPBELL
Date: 2020
Position: Deputy
Reason: Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive/confidential law-enforcement information to the media and related policy violations.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal arrest: None established.
This is an example of an RCSO employee being terminated for misconduct without a criminal charge.
NICHOLAS NUNES
Date: February 2020
Position: Deputy
Reason: Internal disciplinary matter involving a confrontation with another deputy during a shots-fired response.
Employment action: Resigned.
Criminal arrest: None established.
BRANDON KEATHLEY
Date: December 2, 2020
Position: Deputy
Charges: Aggravated assault and aggravated assault on a peace officer.
Reason: Allegedly struck fellow Deputy Nicholas Nunes in the head with a flashlight while Nunes was attempting to provide CPR to a teenager who had been shot.
Employment action: Placed on paid administrative leave.
Important: Keathley remained on paid administrative leave for more than four years. He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in May 2025.
In December 2024, incoming RCSO leadership confirmed that Keathley’s employment with the Sheriff’s Office was ending, although officials specifically declined to characterize the separation as a firing.
A judge later sentenced him to five years probation.
2021
WESLEY WARD
Date: April 2021
Position: Deputy
Charges: DUI and failure to maintain lane while operating a county vehicle.
Employment action: Resigned.
JACARI WESTON
Date: November 12, 2021
Position: Deputy
Charges: DUI and improper turning.
Reason: Crashed a marked RCSO patrol vehicle while allegedly driving under the influence.
Employment action: Resigned.
JAQUAN T. GERMAN
Date: December 13, 2021
Position: Deputy
Charges/reason: Violation of oath of office and unlawful street-gang activity in connection with jail contraband.
Allegation: Accepting money to smuggle marijuana, methamphetamine and other contraband to inmates.
Employment action: Fired.
HUNTER L. PIPER
Date: December 14, 2021
Position: Deputy
Reason: Alleged jail contraband smuggling and violation of oath of office.
Employment action: Fired.
GABRIELLA O. ANTHONY
Date: December 14, 2021
Position: Deputy
Reason: Alleged jail contraband smuggling and violation of oath of office.
Employment action: Fired.
JACKIE J. CAMPBELL
Date: December 15, 2021
Position: Deputy
Reason: Alleged jail contraband smuggling and violation of oath of office.
Employment action: Fired.
DAVION DEBOSKIE
Date: December 20, 2021
Position: Deputy
Charges/reason: Violation of oath of office and unlawful street-gang activity.
Reason: Alleged jail contraband smuggling.
Employment action: Fired.
The December 2021 investigation was a major RCSO jail-contraband case involving drugs, weapons and cellphones.
2022
DEARIEUS FLUELLEN
Date: March 31, 2022
Position: Deputy jailer
Charges: Sexual assault and violation of oath by public officer.
Reason: Alleged sexual activity with a female inmate while on duty at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.
Employment action: Termination announced by RCSO.
LAMAR WASHINGTON
Date: August 2022
Position: Deputy
Reason/charges: Arrested in South Carolina after an alcohol-related domestic incident involving his girlfriend and subsequent confrontation with Aiken County officers.
Employment action: Criminal arrest documented. A final RCSO employment disposition was not established with sufficient certainty in the public sources reviewed.
TYLER WOOD
Date: June 30, 2022
Position: Deputy
Charges: Financial transaction card fraud and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Used a county fuel card to purchase gasoline for a personal vehicle.
Employment action: Terminated effective June 30, 2022.
QUINCY CANNON
Date: December 15, 2022
Position: Deputy
Charges: Battery and violation of oath of office.
Reason: GBI investigation into the treatment of Vernon Cratic following an officer-involved shooting.
Employment action: Ultimately resigned in connection with the disciplinary process.
Important legal outcome: The grand jury later declined to indict Cannon.
ANDREW ACOSTA
Date: December 15, 2022
Position: Deputy
Charges: Simple battery and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Same GBI investigation involving Vernon Cratic.
Employment action: Employment ended.
Important legal outcome: The grand jury declined to indict the three deputies in the Cratic case.
ROBERT WILSON
Date: December 15, 2022
Position: Deputy
Charge: Violation of oath of office.
Reason: Same GBI investigation involving Vernon Cratic.
Employment action: Terminated.
Important legal outcome: The grand jury declined to indict the three deputies.
MICHAEL RIVERA
Date: October 7, 2022
Position: Deputy jailer
Charges: Aggravated assault, terroristic threats and acts, and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Allegedly threatened and struck an inmate with a pen during a confrontation inside the jail.
Employment action: Terminated.
ERIC DONALD
Date: October 7, 2022
Position: Deputy jailer
Charge: Violation of oath of office.
Reason: Witnessed the alleged inmate assault and failed to intervene.
Employment action: Terminated.
ARNOLD VERGE
Date: October 7, 2022
Position: Deputy jailer
Charge: Violation of oath of office.
Reason: Witnessed the alleged inmate assault and failed to intervene.
Employment action: Terminated.
DAVID WILBURN
Date: September 23, 2022
Position: Deputy/jailer
Charge: Family violence-simple battery.
Reason: Domestic incident involving his girlfriend.
Employment action: Resigned immediately after the arrest.
2023
JERMAINE ROCKETT
Date: January 18, 2023
Position: Deputy
Reason/charges: Violation of oath of office and alleged provision of prohibited items/contraband to inmates.
Employment action: Fired.
GERARDO SANCHEZ JR.
Date: February 28, 2023
Position: Deputy
Charges: Simple battery and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Alleged assault of a jail inmate.
Employment action: Fired.
JOSHUA JACKSON
Date: February 28, 2023
Position: Deputy
Charges: Simple battery and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Alleged assault of a jail inmate.
Employment action: Fired.
DEBORAH “RITZY” GRIFFIN
Date: April 19, 2023
Position: Deputy
Reason/charges: Violation of oath of office and allegations involving bringing drugs/contraband across the jail security line.
Employment action: Fired.
ELLIS BELTON
Date: April 19, 2023
Position: Deputy
Reason/charges: Violation of oath of office and allegations involving bringing drugs/contraband across the jail security line.
Employment action: Fired.
DEMONDRE MAHONEY
Date: June 5, 2023
Position: Deputy
Charges: Giving articles to convicts without consent of the warden and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Alleged contraband smuggling.
Employment action: Terminated.
Important later development: The charges were ultimately dropped after laboratory testing showed the substance involved was baby powder rather than fentanyl.
JOSEPH CLARKE
Date: June 15, 2023
Position: Deputy
Charges: Attempted aggravated sodomy, false imprisonment, sexual battery and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Alleged sexual misconduct involving a Public Defender employee at the jail.
Employment action: Fired.
ARRINGTON MURSIER
Date: June 26, 2023
Position: Deputy
Charges: Possession of a Schedule I narcotic with intent to distribute; conspiracy to distribute a Schedule I narcotic; violation of oath of office.
Reason: Alleged introduction of contraband into the jail.
Employment action: Terminated.
BRANDON BECKMAN
Date: September 18, 2023
Position: Captain
Reason: Inappropriate relationship with a subordinate and alleged dishonesty during the internal investigation.
Employment action: Terminated.
ALLISON “ALLIE” WALKER
Date: September 18, 2023
Position: Investigator
Reason: Inappropriate relationship with supervisor Brandon Beckman and alleged dishonesty during the internal investigation.
Employment action: Terminated.
JACOB LAMBERTH
Date: September 2023
Position: Deputy
Employment action: Terminated.
Reason: The fact of termination is publicly documented, but the specific reason was not established with sufficient certainty from the public material reviewed.
Lamberth should therefore be included as a confirmed termination but should not be assigned an unverified reason.
2024
JOHNNY ATKINSON
Date: February 9, 2024
Position: Deputy/investigator
Charges: Aggravated assault, battery and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Alleged unnecessary use of force against inmates during the May 7, 2022 jail incident.
Employment action: Fired.
AUSTIN BIRCH
Date: February 9, 2024
Position: Deputy/investigator
Charges: Battery and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Same May 7, 2022 jail incident.
Employment action: Fired.
DANIEL D’AVERSA
Date: February 12, 2024
Position: Corporal
Charges: Battery and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Same May 7, 2022 jail incident.
Employment action: Fired.
Later disposition: Pleaded guilty in federal court to deprivation of civil rights under color of law.
DANTAVION JONES
Date: February 12, 2024
Position: Deputy
Charges: Battery and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Same May 7, 2022 jail incident.
Employment action: Fired.
Later disposition: Pleaded guilty to a federal civil-rights violation.
MELISSA MORELLO
Date: February 12, 2024
Position: Jailer
Charges: Battery and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Same May 7, 2022 jail incident.
Employment action: Fired.
Later disposition: Pleaded guilty in federal court to deprivation of civil rights under color of law.
JOHN WHITAKER
Date: February 12, 2024
Position: Lieutenant
Charges: Aggravated assault, battery and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Same May 7, 2022 jail incident.
Employment action: Retired before his arrest.
He is included because he was an RCSO employee during the underlying conduct and was subsequently arrested in connection with his RCSO employment.
JENNIFER SHELTON
Date: March 2024
Position: Lieutenant
Reason: Personnel investigation involving jail operations and allegations concerning the handling of warrants and failure to intervene during the May 7, 2022 incident.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal arrest: None established.
TY DAILEY
Date: May 2024 arrest; October 2025 indictment; July 2025 dismissal of original homicide-by-vehicle charge
Position: Deputy
Charges: Homicide by vehicle in the second degree and speeding.
Reason: March 26, 2023 fatal vehicle crash while operating an RCSO vehicle. Georgia State Patrol documents indicated Dailey was traveling approximately 90 mph in a 55-mph zone when the crash occurred and Jay Fager was killed.
Employment action: Remained employed/on administrative leave during the criminal proceedings.
Important later development: The homicide-by-vehicle charge was dismissed in July 2025. A later Burke County grand jury indictment was reported in October 2025, creating a complicated procedural history.
This case remains included because Dailey was an RCSO employee when the underlying incident occurred and when he was criminally charged.
2025
SEAN MCKENZIE
Date: January 14, 2025
Position: Deputy
Charges: Theft by taking and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Allegedly took a specialized knife that had been voluntarily surrendered to RCSO for safekeeping.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal action: Arrested.
OMAR RILEY
Date: February 3, 2025
Position: Jailer
Reason/charge: Use-of-force violation.
Reason: Allegedly discharged a Taser against an inmate who was using a jail telephone and had been told to end the call.
Employment action: Terminated.
Criminal action: Arrested.
ADDISON LEROY BROWN
Date: February 18, 2025
Position: Deputy
Charges: Giving false statements in a government matter and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Alleged inconsistencies between his statements and evidence obtained during an internal investigation.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal action: Arrested/charged.
RANESHIA PRICE
Date: March 31-April 1, 2025
Position: Deputy
Charges: Simple battery-family violence.
Reason: Domestic incident involving another RCSO deputy.
Employment action: Fired effective April 1, 2025.
MONTELL WALTON
Date: July 18, 2025
Position: Deputy
Charge: Simple battery-family violence.
Reason: Domestic incident involving his girlfriend.
Employment action: Initially placed on administrative leave.
Final employment disposition was not established with sufficient certainty in the public sources reviewed.
DIANA SANTIAGO
Date: October 20, 2025
Position: Deputy
Charges: Violation of oath of office; conspiracy to purchase or possess a controlled substance; unlawful street-gang activity.
Reason: Investigation into Santiago’s relationship with a gang member/inmate, alleged disclosure of law-enforcement information and alleged involvement in drug/gang activity.
Employment action: Fired immediately before being taken into custody.
Important background: Santiago had previously received a one-day suspension in 2022 following an inappropriate relationship with an inmate.
2026
AVERY MATTHEW WOOD
Date: January 5-6, 2026
Position: Deputy jailer
Charges: Rape, sexual assault and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Allegations involving sexual activity with a female inmate while Wood was employed at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.
Employment action: Terminated.
Criminal action: Arrested January 5, 2026.
The alleged incidents occurred during October and November 2025.
JEREMIAH WELCH
Date: February 22, 2026
Position: Deputy
Charges: DUI and additional traffic-related charges.
Reason: Off-duty traffic crash while operating his personal vehicle. Responding deputies reported smelling alcohol and determined Welch was at fault. Georgia State Patrol conducted the DUI investigation.
Employment action: Criminal arrest documented. A final employment disposition was not established through the public sources reviewed.
AMANDA DONALD
Date: March 2026
Position: Corporal/deputy
Reason: Use-of-force incident involving repeated strikes against a suspect after the initial use of force had become unnecessary under RCSO policy.
Employment action: Demoted from road patrol to jail duty and subsequently resigned.
Additional background: A separate 2021 use-of-force incident involving Donald resulted in a reprimand, training and a written report.
CHRISTOPHER CHAVOUS
Date: February 26, 2026
Position: Sergeant
Reason: Having sex with another RCSO deputy’s wife while on duty.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal arrest: None reported.
CLARENCE “NIC” JOHNSON V
Date: July 8, 2026 indictment; January 11, 2026 underlying incident
Position: Deputy
Charges: Violation of oath by public officer, aggravated assault, aggravated battery and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.
Reason: Alleged excessive use of force during a January 2026 encounter.
Employment action: Administrative leave/reassignment rather than confirmed termination.
Important: He should not be classified as fired based on the publicly available information reviewed.
JAQUARIUS YARBROUGH
Date: June 25, 2026
Position: Deputy
Charges: Violation of oath of office and unlawful retention/use of license-plate-reader information.
Reason: Allegedly used the RCSO Flock license-plate-reader system for personal purposes.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal action: Arrested.
JOHN MCKENZIE
Date: July 20, 2026
Position: Lieutenant
Charges: Misuse of license-plate-reader information and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Alleged unauthorized searches of the RCSO Flock system.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal action: Arrested.
CURTIS HOSKINS
Date: July 20, 2026
Position: Investigator
Charges: Misuse of license-plate-reader information and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Alleged unauthorized searches of the RCSO Flock system.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal action: Arrested.
JOSHUA JOHNSON
Date: July 20, 2026
Position: Deputy
Charges: Misuse of license-plate-reader information and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Alleged unauthorized searches of the RCSO Flock system.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal action: Arrested.
GWENEDRA NELSON
Date: July 1, 2026
Position: Deputy jailer
Charges: Violation of oath of office and making false statements in a government matter.
Reason: Allegedly brought fast food into an inmate’s cell and initially denied knowingly providing food.
Employment action: Arrested. Final employment disposition was not established with sufficient certainty through the public sources reviewed.
SEAN MORROW
Date: August 31, 2026
Position: Investigator
Charges: Misuse of license-plate-reader information and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Alleged unauthorized use of the Flock system.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal action: Arrested.
JOSE FERRER
Date: August 31, 2026
Position: Deputy
Charges: Misuse of license-plate-reader information and violation of oath of office.
Reason: Alleged unauthorized use of the Flock system.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal action: Arrested.
ROBERT “ROBBIE” SILAS
Date: August 31, 2026 arrest; September 1, 2026 reporting
Position: Major, Special Operations Division
Charges: Pandering, solicitation of sodomy and violation of oath by public officer.
Reason: GBI investigation involving allegations of solicitation and prostitution-related conduct.
Employment action: Fired.
Criminal action: Arrested August 31, 2026.
Silas had been employed by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office since the late 1980s and had served as a major in Special Operations.
THE 2026 FLOCK LICENSE-PLATE-READER CASES
Six RCSO employees have publicly been identified as arrested and terminated in connection with alleged misuse of the Flock automated license-plate-reader system:
1. Jaquarius Yarbrough
2. John McKenzie
3. Curtis Hoskins
4. Joshua Johnson
5. Sean Morrow
6. Jose Ferrer
The cases arose from an RCSO audit of access to the department’s license-plate-reader system.
The Yarbrough investigation reportedly involved an extraordinary number of searches involving a person with whom he had a personal relationship.
OTHER SIGNIFICANT PERSONNEL CASES NOT INCLUDED IN THE 75-PERSON TARGET COUNT
AUNAREY HERBERT
Demoted from sergeant to deputy in September 2023.
Not counted in the 75 because a demotion is not a termination or resignation and no criminal arrest was established.
MELISSA ALLEN
Demoted from corporal to deputy in September 2023.
Not counted in the 75 for the same reason.
BRIAN MANECKE
Investigator who died by suicide in September 2023 while under an internal investigation.
Because he was not publicly documented as arrested, fired or resigned before his death, he is not counted in the 75-person total.
His case is nevertheless relevant to the broader question of RCSO Internal Affairs activity.
AMANDA DONALD’S 2021 DISCIPLINARY CASE
Donald received a letter of reprimand, completed additional training and was required to write a report following a 2021 use-of-force incident.
She is counted once in the 75-person total because of her 2026 resignation following a separate use-of-force case.
The 2021 incident is not counted as a separate employee.
TY DAILEY’S PRIOR DISCIPLINARY HISTORY
Dailey was disciplined in 2013 following two at-fault vehicle crashes within approximately six weeks, both involving speed.
He later became involved in the 2023 fatal crash that resulted in his 2024 arrest and subsequent criminal proceedings.
He is counted once.
BRANDON KEATHLEY’S EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Keathley was arrested December 2, 2020 following the February 2020 incident involving Deputy Nicholas Nunes.
He remained on paid administrative leave for more than four years.
He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in May 2025.
RCSO leadership later confirmed that his employment ended, although the agency did not characterize the separation as a firing.
He is counted once.
KNOWN CRIMINAL CASES WITH IMPORTANT LATER DISPOSITIONS
Not every criminal case in this report ended in a conviction.
QUINCY CANNON, ANDREW ACOSTA AND ROBERT WILSON
All three were arrested in December 2022 following the GBI investigation into the treatment of Vernon Cratic.
A grand jury declined to indict them.
Therefore, they should not be described as convicted or even indicted in connection with that case.
DEMONDRE MAHONEY
Mahoney was fired and arrested in 2023 after being accused of bringing fentanyl into the jail.
Laboratory testing subsequently showed the substance was baby powder.
The criminal charges were dropped in December 2023.
Mahoney later returned to law enforcement work with another agency.
DANIEL D’AVERSA AND MELISSA MORELLO
Both were fired after their arrests in connection with the May 7, 2022 jail incident.
Both later pleaded guilty in federal court to deprivation of civil rights under color of law.
DANTAVION JONES
Jones was fired after the same jail incident and later pleaded guilty to a federal civil-rights violation.
JOSEPH CLARKE
Clarke was fired and arrested in 2023 in connection with alleged sexual misconduct at the jail.
He later received a 15-year sentence following his criminal case.
BRANDON KEATHLEY
Keathley pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in May 2025 after spending years on paid administrative leave.
TY DAILEY
Dailey was arrested in May 2024 in connection with the 2023 fatal crash.
The homicide-by-vehicle charge was later dismissed in July 2025, followed by additional procedural developments concerning the case.
This illustrates why an arrest count should never be treated as a conviction count.
PUBLIC-SOURCE COUNT
The current public-source compilation identifies:
75 INDIVIDUAL RCSO EMPLOYEES
within the September 1, 2011 through September 1, 2026 research period who fall into at least one of the report’s primary categories.
Those categories include:
• Arrest
• Criminal charge
• Termination
• Firing
• Dismissal
• Resignation following significant misconduct
• Resignation in lieu of termination
• Significant separation associated with a criminal or Internal Affairs matter
The 75-person figure is a count of PEOPLE, not incidents.
Several people were involved in more than one incident.
For example:
Eugene Danner — multiple DUI cases.
Ty Dailey — prior disciplinary vehicle incidents, use-of-force allegations and later fatal crash case.
Amanda Donald — 2021 use-of-force discipline and 2026 resignation following another use-of-force case.
Brandon Keathley — 2020 arrest and 2025 guilty plea.
Diana Santiago — prior inmate-relationship discipline followed by a later criminal investigation and arrest.
Therefore, the number of incidents is greater than 75.
WHAT THE NUMBER DOES NOT MEAN
The 75-person number does NOT mean:
• 75 deputies were convicted of crimes.
• 75 deputies were fired.
• 75 deputies committed misconduct.
• 75 deputies were found guilty.
• Every person listed was ultimately found responsible for the conduct alleged.
• RCSO has officially acknowledged that exactly 75 employees fall into these categories.
It means that 75 individually named RCSO employees were identified in publicly accessible records as having experienced an arrest, criminal charge, termination, resignation or significant separation meeting the criteria used for this research.
MAJOR PATTERNS IN THE PUBLIC RECORD
The public record shows several particularly significant periods.
2018-2020
Multiple cases involving DUI, domestic violence, theft, public indecency, assault and unauthorized disclosure of information.
2021-2023
A major increase in jail-related personnel cases.
These included alleged smuggling of drugs and other contraband, inmate assaults, sexual misconduct and violations of oath of office.
2022-2024
Multiple cases involving alleged excessive force against inmates.
The May 7, 2022 jail incident eventually resulted in six former RCSO personnel being arrested or prosecuted, with several federal guilty pleas.
2025
Personnel cases included theft, false statements, use-of-force violations, domestic violence and alleged gang/drug activity.
2026
RCSO experienced several highly publicized personnel cases, including:
• Flock license-plate-reader misuse
• Use-of-force discipline
• DUI
• Sexual misconduct
• Jail sexual-assault allegations
• Alleged misconduct involving jail inmates
• The arrest of Major Robbie Silas by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
LIMITATIONS OF THIS REPORT
This remains a PUBLIC-SOURCE report.
RCSO does not maintain a publicly searchable database showing every Internal Affairs investigation and employment disposition for the past 15 years.
The Sheriff’s Office’s own Internal Affairs system contains substantially more information than can be reconstructed from news coverage.
News organizations have obtained individual personnel files through Georgia Open Records Act requests, but those files are scattered across individual stories and cases.
Some employees may therefore have been:
• Fired without the media reporting the case.
• Allowed to resign without a news story.
• Suspended or demoted without criminal charges.
• Arrested in a case that received little or no online coverage.
• Reinstated after discipline.
• Cleared after an investigation.
• Subject to an Internal Affairs finding that never became public.
The earlier years, particularly 2011-2014, are especially difficult to reconstruct through Internet searches because historical personnel records are not comprehensively indexed.
FINAL CONCLUSION
Based upon publicly available information located as of September 1, 2026, at least 75 individually identified Richmond County Sheriff’s Office employees fall within the scope of this research during the 15-year period beginning September 1, 2011.
The public record documents arrests, criminal allegations, firings, terminations, resignations, resignations in lieu of termination and other significant employment separations.
The number is almost certainly not the final number.
The only reliable way to determine whether additional employees were terminated, resigned under investigation, arrested or disciplined without receiving public attention is to obtain the underlying Richmond County Sheriff’s Office personnel and Internal Affairs records through the Georgia Open Records Act.
Until those records are obtained, the most accurate description of this project is:
“At least 75 Richmond County Sheriff’s Office employees have been publicly identified as being arrested, criminally charged, terminated or otherwise significantly separated from the agency for misconduct-related reasons between September 1, 2011 and September 1, 2026.”
PRIMARY PUBLIC SOURCES CONSULTED
Richmond County Sheriff’s Office
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Department of Justice / U.S. Attorney’s Office
Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council records
WRDW/WAGT
WJBF
Augusta Chronicle
AugustaCrime / The Jail Report
Associated Press
Publicly available federal and state court records
Other publicly indexed government and news records.
SOURCE AND LEGAL DISCLAIMER
This report is intended as a compilation of publicly reported information and does not constitute a finding of criminal or civil liability against any person.
Criminal charges are allegations unless established by a court.
Where later case outcomes were publicly available, they have been identified.
Where the final outcome could not be established from publicly available material, that limitation has been stated.
This report should not be represented as an official Richmond County Sheriff’s Office personnel roster or as a complete accounting of every disciplinary action taken by RCSO.