A Jones County Grand Jury heard 27 bills of indictment presented by the district attorney’s office and law enforcement and brought back true bills on 25 of those.
Those indictments included six aggravated assault charges and two charges of the trafficking of methamphetamine. Two charges of child molestation and a charge of aggravated child molestation were also among the charges.
The grand jury met Feb. 2, but due to court scheduling, the indictments were not presented in open court until Feb. 12.
The trafficking indictment was for Dontay Tavari Brown, who was arrested Dec. 30, 2025, by Jones County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Barron Hall. Possession of 28 grams of the drug is required for the charge of trafficking.
Charles Marquis Toomer was indicted for trafficking methamphetamine and fleeing or attempting to elude police officer, felony. A report of the incident leading to Toomer’s by JCSO Deputy Christopher Patterson stated he received information Nov. 29, 2025, about a wanted vehicle and spotted a vehicle matching the description. He stopped the vehicle and questioned the driver.
After verifying he had the right vehicle, Patterson asked Toomer to exit it. Instead, he drove off at a high rate of speed. Patterson said Deputy Jeffery Robinson arrived in time to pursue the fleeing suspect. The two officers continued the chase into Macon, ending when Toomer lost control on an I-75 ramp.
The driver jumped from his vehicle holding a white cup that was subsequently found by officers and discovered to be filled with methamphetamine. Toomer fled the scene but was arrested Dec. 16, 2025.
Aggravated assault
Garrik Hogan was indicted for two counts of aggravated assault, felony terroristic threats, criminal damage to property in the first degree, discharge of a gun near highway or street, no proof of insurance, an expired tag and unlawful use of blue lights.
Hogan, 36, was arrested Nov. 26, 2025. A report by Jones County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Christopher Dominguez stated he was dispatched to a convenience store Nov. 23 to meet with two individuals reporting an assault.
He was told Hogan shot at their vehicle as they were driving away from a Joycliff Road residence. After getting the details of the assault, he watched camera footage from the station, and it verified the statements of the complainants about an encounter with Hogan at the station.
Dominguez said Deputy Nolan Sullivan also responded. Deputies later went to the address given by the complainant and observed the same vehicle that was seen on the gas station footage. The license plate came back to Hogan.
Investigators later went to the offender’s residence. No one was at the residence, and warrants were taken for Hogan’s arrest.
JCSO Deputy Jeffrey Robinson wrote the report of Hogan’s arrest. The report stated officers were watching the house, and the suspect’s Suburban was seen leaving the residence. Robinson said he spotted the vehicle and turned on his blue lights to conduct a traffic stop. He said with the assistance of JCSO Deputy Chris Shurley, Hogan was removed from the Suburban and taken into custody. A handgun was found between the driver’s front seat and console, a .308-caliber rifle was found in the rear of the vehicle, and a PSE compound bow was in the front seat. In addition to the weapons, the deputy noted the Suburban had active flashing blue light bars up in the dash facing toward traffic.
Bank fraud attempt
Vernon Weston Tonge, Tariq Tristan Bennett and David Brian Granger were indicted in connection with fraud that was attempted at a local bank.
Tonge was indicted for the charge of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer (felony), identity fraud, forgery in first degree, possession marijuana less than ounce and driving while license suspended.
Bennet and Granger were indicted on charges of identity fraud and forgery in first degree, possession marijuana less than an ounce and driving while license suspended.
Information about the crime was posted on the Jones County Sheriff’s Facebook page.
A report by JCSO Investigator Lt. Kenny Gleaton stated the sheriff’s office was contacted by bank personnel Jan. 9 regarding a possible fraud attempt. Bank staff reported a suspect inside attempting to conduct a transaction using a fraudulent identification card.
Gleaton and Investigator Crystal Murphy responded to the area. Murphy entered the bank in plain clothes to observe while Gleaton was positioned nearby in an unmarked vehicle.
When the suspect came out of the bank, Gleaton relayed the vehicle information and followed. The investigator attempted a traffic stop, but the driver accelerated from the scene. He pursued the vehicle and notified dispatch but lost sight of it on the bypass.
Other officers spotted the vehicle and continued the pursuit through multiple roadways in Jones County. Assisted by the Gray Police Department, the pursuit continued to Highway 11 and Industrial Boulevard. JCSO Lt. Kasey Carr located the vehicle and continued the pursuit until JCSO Capt. Travis Douglas took lead as the suspect vehicle entered the Government Center area.
The vehicle wrecked at the Government Center parking lot. The driver surrendered, and the three suspects were taken into custody without further incident.
A complete list of the indictments is available on the Open Records page of this edition.
