Two Georgia brothers have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms after investigators say they carried out a years-long fraud scheme targeting Georgia Lottery–regulated gaming machines across the state. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Quinton Watts, 27, and Phillip Watts, 31, both of Sparta, defrauded the Georgia Lottery by stealing money from Coin Operated Amusement Machines (COAMs) in at least 12 Georgia counties over a three-year period.
A long-running investigation into a failed internet project in Menlo resulted in an arrest earlier this month, but many questions are still unanswered about how the project was handled and how taxpayer dollars were spent.
Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader says the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was brought in last year after concerns were raised about county financial accounts, and that investigation has now resulted in an arrest tied to the Zentell Communications project.
Four defendants have been convicted and sentenced to life in prison following a deadly shooting that occurred in Walker County in 2024.
A Walker County jury found Marcus Allen Chambers, James Logan Darty, Kayla Michelle McClure, and Brayden Niri Whatley guilty on multiple charges, including Malice Murder, two counts of Felony Murder, Criminal Attempt to Commit Armed Robbery, and Aggravated Assault after a six-day trial before Superior Court Judge Chris Arnt.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is assisting the Walker County Sheriff’s Office with an investigation into a shooting that left a 2-year-old child hospitalized in Rock Spring.
Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Joe Montgomery, a familiar and respected figure in law enforcement across the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, has retired this week following an extraordinary 41-year career with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Of his four decades of service, 31 years were dedicated specifically to the communities within the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit.
Last Friday, December 19, marked the 17th anniversary of the unsolved murder of Michael Mullens, a father and local business owner who was shot and killed outside his machine shop in Flintstone, Georgia.
At the request of the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Catoosa County, Georgia, involving officers from the East Ridge (Tennessee) Police Department. Authorities say no one was injured during the incident.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has arrested and charged a Union Point man following allegations that he assaulted several minors under his supervision as a youth football coach.
The Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office says deputies and investigators were dispatched to a residence south of Holland off Highway 100 before noon on Monday, December 8, 2025, after a deceased body was discovered inside the home.
Sheriff’s officials say that upon arrival, investigators located a body in the latter stages of decomposition. Investigators then secured a search warrant for the residence and property. The GBI was requested to assist, including a crime scene technician and agent, and Coroner McElhaney also responded to the scene.
Preliminary findings suggest the individual had been deceased for an extended period of time, possibly more than one year. The investigation remains in the early stages, and attempts to locate and notify next of kin are underway.
Authorities report there were no signs of forced entry, and it appears the resident lived alone. Sheriff Mark A. Schrader said at this time investigators do not believe there is a safety concern for area residents. The body will be sent to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office for examination, and more information is expected to be released later.
