District Attorney for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit
Recent News About District Attorney for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit
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Brunswick man receives consecutive life sentences for rape and child molestation
Troy Rogers III of Brunswick, GA, was found guilty by a Glynn County jury on August 23, 2024, of one count of rape, two counts of aggravated child molestation, and one count of child molestation. The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for only one hour. Superior Court Judge Roger Lane subsequently sentenced Rogers to three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 19 years in prison.
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Brunswick man pleads guilty in fatal shooting at St. Simons Island plaza
District Attorney Keith Higgins announced that Ricky Ricardo Easterling, 52, of Brunswick, GA, entered a negotiated guilty plea in Glynn County Superior Court on July 1, 2024. Easterling pleaded guilty to Malice Murder, two counts of Felony Murder, and two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
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Brunswick man convicted of child molestation and cruelty to children
Lavorgia L. Warren, 43, of Brunswick, GA, was found guilty by a Glynn County jury on June 25, 2024, of one count of child molestation and two counts of cruelty to children in the first degree.
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Brunswick man convicted in aggravated assault case
District Attorney Keith Higgins announced that on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, Michael Purnell, 59, of Brunswick, GA, was found guilty of aggravated battery. The Glynn County jury deliberated and returned their guilty verdict in under 30 minutes.
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Brunswick man convicted of aggravated assault; sentencing set for June
On May 22, 2024, David Lee, Sr., 56, of Brunswick, GA, was found guilty by a Glynn County jury of one count of aggravated assault. The jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on a second count of aggravated assault, leading Chief Superior Court Judge Stephen G. Scarlett, Sr. to declare a mistrial on that count. Sentencing has been scheduled for June 18.
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Kingsland man pleads guilty to felony murder and aggravated assault
District Attorney Keith Higgins announced that Octavin Devon Grace, a 43-year-old resident of Kingsland, GA, entered a negotiated guilty plea in Camden County Superior Court on May 15, 2024. The charges were Felony Murder and Aggravated Assault. Grace's plea was entered before the trial in his case commenced.
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District Attorney Keith Higgins Provides Gang Training for Law Enforcement Officers & Prosecutors
District Attorney Keith Higgins of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit is taking proactive steps to enhance public safety and combat the escalating threat of gang violence in the community. In line with his objectives, a gang training course was conducted for law enforcement officers and prosecutors at the College of Coastal Georgia from May 1-3, 2024.The course, titled "Gang Investigation & Prosecution: Best Practices," was led by esteemed gang instructor Jose Ramirez. Through a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on exercises, officers and prosecutors were equipped with...
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DA Higgins Provides Exchange Club Members with DA Office Update
Brunswick, GA - In a recent meeting, Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Keith Higgins addressed members of the Exchange Club, providing them with an update on the activities of the DA Office.During the meeting, Higgins, alongside Incoming Brunswick Exchange Club President Barry Cooper, Outgoing President JP Thornton, and Secretary-Treasurer Randy Pifer, discussed various initiatives undertaken by the DA Office. Higgins highlighted that his office is fully staffed with prosecutors, a feat achieved by only a few offices in the state. He emphasized the office's...
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DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE WELCOMES NEW PROSECUTORIAL STAFF
District Attorney Keith Higgins has announced the addition of new members to the prosecutorial staff of the District Attorney’s Office for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit (BJC).Whitney J. Fetzer Gregory has joined the BJC as the Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney for the Glynn County office, as confirmed by DA Higgins. In her previous role at the Eastern Judicial Circuit in Savannah, Deputy Chief Gregory was in charge of the Special Victims Unit, handling cases such as adult rapes, sexual assaults, domestic violence, and murders. Her impressive legal background...
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Senior Staff Retirements in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office
District Attorney Keith Higgins announced the retirement of two senior staff members from the Appling-Jeff Davis Office of the District Attorney’s Office for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit.Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Jan Kennedy retired after over 27 years of service as a prosecutor in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit. ADA Kennedy had been the Managing Attorney in the Appling-Jeff Davis Office and was named Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney under DA Higgins from February 2021 to April 2023. ADA Kennedy expressed her gratitude, saying, "I am thankful for the...
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Brunswick Man Found Guilty of Obstruction of an Officer and Possession of Firearm
District Attorney Keith Higgins announced that Sedrick Deshawn Pearman, 35, of Brunswick, GA, has been convicted of multiple crimes, including Giving False Information to a Law Enforcement Officer, Obstruction of an Officer, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. The conviction came after a trial where evidence was presented regarding an incident involving Pearman on April 3, 2021.The trial revealed that Glynn County Police Department Officer Troy Bergiadis observed a vehicle with suspicious driving behavior, leading him to investigate the occupants. Pearman, a...
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Brunswick Man Convicted of Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault and Other Crimes
District Attorney Keith Higgins announced that Erving Lamar Jackson, a 31-year-old man from Brunswick, GA, was found guilty by a Glynn County jury of various crimes. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before reaching its verdict.The evidence presented at trial revealed a harrowing ordeal between Jackson and the victim, LaQuambia Cliette, who had been in a previous romantic relationship. Jackson threatened the victim with a gun, forced her to drive to multiple locations, and violently attacked her, culminating in a disturbing incident where he dragged her by her...
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Brunswick Man Sentenced to 60 Years for Child Molestation Conviction
District Attorney Keith Higgins announced that Terell Eugene Bacon, 33, of Brunswick, GA, has been found guilty by a Glynn County jury of three counts of Child Molestation against a 13-year-old girl. The jury deliberated for one hour before reaching its verdict.During the trial, evidence was presented that on September 5, 2022, Bacon approached the victim while she was walking her dog in the neighborhood. Bacon took advantage of the situation by asking her to come over to his residence under false pretenses. He then began grooming her and eventually engaged in sexual...
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Appling Defendant Receives 10-Year Sentence for Obstruction of an Officer with Violence
Appling County District Attorney Keith Higgins has announced that Bruce Erbertlee Jackson, a 35-year-old resident of Baxley, GA, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in two counts of Felony Obstruction of an Officer with Violence. The verdict was reached by an Appling County jury on April 16, 2024.According to the evidence presented during the trial, the incident occurred on April 3, 2021, when Investigator Stuart Boyer of the Baxley Police Department stopped Jackson's vehicle for multiple traffic violations. Jackson, who identified himself as...
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Brunswick Man Enters Guilty Plea in 2022 Shooting and Armed Robbery Case
District Attorney Keith Higgins announced that Laronse Adriese Chambliss, 21, of Brunswick, GA, entered a non-negotiated guilty plea in Glynn County Superior Court on March 4, 2024, to Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony. Chambliss entered his plea just before the commencement of the trial in his case.According to the facts presented in court, on December 28, 2022, the victim in the case was in Brunswick when he was lured to an address on Pine Street through the Grinder App. Two individuals wearing face coverings...
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Jeff Davis Defendant Sentenced to 5-Years for Burglary
District Attorney Keith Higgins announced that a Jeff Davis County jury found James Larvelle Smith guilty of one count of Burglary in the Second Degree. According to the report, Smith was found by an employee sitting on a Polaris ATV in a barn on May 15, 2023. Smith claimed he had purchased the ATV from the previous owner, but security camera footage showed him moving throughout the property and trying to open doors.During the trial, Smith represented himself and testified that he was the owner of the property, but failed to provide any documentation to support his claim....
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Brunswick Man Convicted of Aggravated Assault in 2020 Shooting
District Attorney Keith Higgins announced on Friday, February 23, 2024, that a Glynn County jury found Alvin Eddie Canidate guilty of two counts of Aggravated Assault and one count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. The jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on his co-defendant, leading to a mistrial declared by Chief Judge Stephen G. Scarlett Sr. A second co-defendant in the case had previously pleaded guilty and testified at trial.The evidence presented during the trial revealed that on December 5, 2020, Canidate and his co-defendants...
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Brunswick Man Convicted of Aggravated Assault Following Jury Verdict
Kelvin Jeffrey Jones, a 58-year-old resident of Brunswick, GA, was found guilty by a Glynn County jury of Aggravated Assault by Strangulation. District Attorney Keith Higgins revealed that the jury deliberated for a mere 10 minutes before arriving at their decision.During the trial, it was revealed that on July 8, 2020, Jones had a physical altercation with his girlfriend at the Oleander Motel in Brunswick. The victim was dragged into their room, strangled, and hit in the face by Jones, who also prevented her from calling for help by throwing her phone. The victim managed...
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Guilty Plea Accepted in 2022 Jeff Davis Shooting: State v. Neneto Blake
District Attorney Keith Higgins announced that Neneto Blake, 35, of Auburn, Maine, entered a negotiated guilty plea in Jeff Davis Superior Court on February 26, 2024, to one count of Aggravated Assault and one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.According to the statement released by the District Attorney's office, the incident took place on Sunday, October 2, 2022, at a residence in Hazlehurst, GA. Deputy Justin Sanders of the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the scene where tensions had escalated between individuals. The defendant,...
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Three Brunswick Gang Members Plead Guilty to Gang Charges and Aggravated Assault
Three members of the Brunswick gang have pleaded guilty to charges of Aggravated Assault and Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. D’andre Bennett, Larry Bennett, and Kwalik Ratliff, all residents of Brunswick, Georgia, entered non-negotiated guilty pleas before Judge Stephen G. Scarlett, Sr. in Glynn County Superior Court.The guilty pleas come after an incident on June 13, 2022, when the Glynn County Police Department (GCPD) responded to a shots fired call at the intersection of Kensington Drive and Altama Avenue. According to the evidence presented,...