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. ADA Hunter Smith, who prosecuted the case, questioned Smith's fabricated story. Smith admitted to intending to leave the property on the ATV, leading the jury to convict him of Burglary in the Second Degree in under 15 minutes.
Following the conviction, Judge Roger B. Lane sentenced Smith to 5 years in the Georgia Department of Corrections. For further inquiries, the media can contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.