U.S. Attorney Joins Local Law Enforcement To Support Violent Crime Reduction Effort
MACON - The new list of the 15 Most Wanted fugitives in the Macon area was released today, announced United States Attorney Charles “Charlie" E. Peeler. U.S. Attorney Peeler joined law enforcement leadership from across the Middle District of Georgia in support of the region’s collective efforts to make communities safer and deter crime. Macon Regional Crimestoppers, a community-run organization dedicated to increasing the safety of citizens, first announced on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019 a new quarterly initiative offering a $1,000 reward for the Top 15 Most Wanted within an eight-county area. The second quarter Top 15 Most Wanted lists defendants wanted on charges including Child Molestation, Aggravated Assault and Voluntary Manslaughter. U.S. Attorney Peeler joined Bibb County Sheriff David Davis, Monroe County Sheriff Brad Freeman, U.S. Marshall John Carey Bittick, and Bibb County District Attorney David Cooke to urge the community to spread the word and help capture these dangerous individuals.
“Thanks to our citizens’ willingness to step up, our dedicated law enforcement partners were able to capture 14 out of the 15 Most Wanted from last quarter, and I know we can have that kind of success again," said Charles “Charlie" E. Peeler, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “I want to thank Crimestoppers for the important work they are doing to curb criminal activity in Middle Georgia, and the men and women who are putting their lives on the line to apprehend these dangerous individuals."
“The success of our Top 15 initiative has been astounding. We have located 14 of the 15, and will find number 15. This partnership, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement, has noticeably reduced the violence in our community," said Warren Selby, Jr., Chairman of Macon Regional Crimestoppers.
“The first Most Wanted initiative was a huge success and it showed that when local, state and federal law enforcement agencies partner together with the community, we can make Middle Georgia a safe place to live, work and enjoy our families. I am confident the second edition of the Most Wanted will also have a positive impact on our community," said John Cary Bittick, U.S. Marshal, Middle District of Georgia.
“The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office is committed to keeping dangerous criminals off our streets. The Crimestoppers 15 Most Wanted initiative has been a great help towards that goal. We look forward to the continued success of this innovative program which gives citizens the opportunity to become involved in our efforts to put violent criminals behind bars," said David Davis, Bibb County Sheriff.
“Criminals who think they can terrorize our community with violence should take this as a wake-up call. You can’t run forever with all these agencies hot on your trail. And when we catch you, we’re bringing justice with us," said David Cooke, Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney.
This quarter’s Top 15 Most Wanted can be viewed at the Macon Regional Crimestoppers website at www.crimestop.us. All of the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. Macon Regional Crimestoppers is a local non-profit serving the Bibb, Baldwin, Houston, Jones, Twiggs, Crawford, Monroe, and Peach regional areas. The organization partners with law enforcement agencies and community groups to provide anonymous rewards for tips that lead to criminal arrests. Citizens can safely and anonymously report tips at 1-877-68CRIME.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office partnership with Macon Regional Crimestoppers is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
