SUPERIOR COURT
Jones County’s former parks and recreation director recently entered a guilty plea to charges he received in 2021 that cost him his job.
James Matthew Goins was in Jones County Superior Court April 20 and received a total sentence of five years probation for two theft by taking charges, one of which was a felony. His sentence includes $5,171 in restitution to the county.
Goins resigned from his position Oct. 19, 2021, and turned himself into the Jones County Sheriff’s Office Oct. 28, after being informed warrants had been issued for his arrest.
He had held the position of Jones County Parks and Recreation Director since Jan. 4, 2010.
JCSO Investigator Lt. Kenny Gleaton talked about the investigation following Goins’ arrest. He said he and JSCO Investigator John Simmons worked together on the investigation.
Gleaton said the sheriff’s office was called by county officials due to the authorization of repairs for a piece of landscape equipment, a mower deck, not owned by the county. He said Goins authorized the repairs.
The investigator said employees were interviewed and enough probable cause was developed for a search warrant of Goins’ residence. He said a double-axle utility trailer and the item of landscaping equipment were found on the property.
Gleaton said the trailer was county property, but the Jones County stickers had been removed. He said the license tag on the trailer was registered to a private individual, not the county. The mower deck was owned by Goins.
The investigator said warrants were issued for the former director’s arrest on one charge of felony theft by taking and one charge of misdemeanor theft by taking.
Gleaton said, in order to constitute a felony, the property must be worth more than $1,500. The trailer was valued at over $1,500. The repair to the landscaping equipment was less than $1,500.
