A pair of Columbus teens June 9 were arrested on felony vandalism charges after police discovered the two were connected with a string of incidents in western Lowndes County.
Kevin Michael Barnes, 18, of 150 Concourse Road in Columbus, and Kyle Anthony Martin, 18, of 39 Leigh Road in Columbus, were arrested at their homes by the Lowndes County Sheriff”s Department on charges of felony malicious mischief after officers learned the teens had vandalized several pieces of industrial equipment.
LCSO officials believe the teens may have been involved in several vandalism incidents on and near Old West Point Road in the western part of the county since February.
“We had been investigating several reports of vandalism at some gravel pits in that area,” said LCSO Detective Eli Perrigin. “One of the property owners out there set up a remote camera and was able to get a picture of one of the suspects.
“We used that to track them down and make the arrests,” Perrigin added. “Because they had been involved in several incidents over the past few months, and because the property damage dollar value was so high, they got charged with felony malicious mischief.”
The suspects are charged with breaking windows and damaging several pieces of industrial equipment parked at a few gravel pits off Old West Point Road and the surrounding area, Perrigin explained.
“It”s like the property owners would get the equipment fixed one weekend, and then the next weekend it would get damaged again,” Perrigin said. “We had been getting reports like that since last February.”
As of Saturday, Barnes and Martin each had been released on a $17,500 bond. No initial court date had been set.
Monroe arrest
A Monroe County man was arrested Tuesday on cocaine charges as part of an ongoing drug investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff”s Department.
Jermaine McIntosh, 26, of 30069 Baker Road in Nettleton, was arrested at his residence and charged with two counts of sale of cocaine in connection with a previous drug incident in the area.
“McIntosh was arrested (Tuesday) without incident at his home on Baker Road, which is a little south of Nettleton,” Monroe County Sheriff Andy Hood wrote in a press release. “McIntosh is part of an ongoing drug investigation in Monroe County. More arrests are expected.”
Columbus arrests
The following other people were arrested on felony charges, according to reports released by the Columbus Police Department:
- Willie George Morgan, 27, of 2601 Fifth Ave. N. in Columbus, and Jonathan Odom, 36, of 1524 Ninth St. S. in Columbus, were arrested June 10 by the CPD on uttering forgery charges after police said they attempted to pass a bad check at Cadence Bank at 803 Main St.
Morgan also was charged with a felony count of possession of marijuana in a vehicle. The two each are being held on a $2,500 bond, and are scheduled to appear in court June 18.
- Russell Sparks, 37, of 614 Pine St. in Columbus, was arrested June 10 by the CPD on one count of statutory rape. He is being held on a $20,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court June 18.
- Ron Christopher Hargrove, 21, of 1115 14th St. S. in Columbus, was arrested June 10 by the CPD on one count of burglary of a dwelling. He is being held on a $10,000 bond, and no court date has been set.
- Willie Williams, 23, of 812 21st St. N. in Columbus, was arrested June 10 by the CPD on one count of burglary of a dwelling. As of Saturday, no bond or preliminary hearing date had been set.
- Jordan Demarcus Jennings, 17, of 805 13th St. N., No. E-4, in Columbus, was arrested June 10 by the CPD on one count of possession of stolen property.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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