Archived News

DeKalb County fugitive squad arrest man after standoff

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Fugitive Squad arrested Benjamin Jimerson, 29, on Jan. 11, after a brief standoff in which he held his 2-year-old son hostage.

According to a press release from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, when fugitive squad members arrived at Jimerson’s home in Stone Mountain, the suspect had closed the garage and locked himself and his son in his home. 

Jimerson was persuaded out of the home at 534 Field Glen Court after an hour of negotiations, the sheriff’s office said. He was arrested without incident and taken to the DeKalb County Jail.

Jimerson was originally arrested in May 2011 for charges stemming from an altercation with a DeKalb police officer, officials said. He was released on a $33,000 bond, but failed to appear in court on Dec. 27, 2011, to answer charges related to this incident.

Man sentenced to 12 years for running ponzi scheme

Anthony Ray was sentenced Jan. 11 in DeKalb County Superior Court to serve 12 years in jail after he pleaded guilty on racketeering charges that he defrauded nearly a dozen victims out of approximately $660,000. 

Between August 2006, and July 2008, according to the DeKalb District Attorney’s Office, Ray solicited investors for real estate transactions.  He created a company called Key Funding Group and told investors he was going to buy distressed real estate to renovate and sell at a profit.

According to officials, Ray met several of the victims at Pine Grove Baptist Church, where the pastor introduced him to the congregation.  Other investors met the defendant through other victims who believed the defendant was going to come through as he had promised. 

Ray encouraged some of the victims to open credit card accounts to improve their credit, the District Attorney’s Office said.  Many of the victims took out loans and refinanced their homes so they could invest more in the company. 

Many victims were left with loans that they were unable to repay and went bankrupt. Ray was sentenced to serve eight years’ probation.

Man found shot to death in apartment

Police are investigating the death of a man who was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound in an apartment off Bouldercrest Road.

Police responded to the Paradise East Apartments in the 1400 block of Bouldercrest Road at approximately 1:35 a.m., DeKalb County spokeswoman Mekka Parish said.

The victim, whom police have yet to identify, was found inside the apartment dead from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Parish said two men were seen fleeing the area following the shooting. Officials said the crime may have been drug related.