Police Blotter

Bond is set for former substitute teacher

About 150 people crowded into a Columbia County courtroom Thursday in support of a former Columbia County substitute teacher at his bond hearing.

Judge William M. Fleming Jr. granted a $25,000 bond to Billy Fray Cleveland, who was indicted Monday on seven counts of child molestation.

Cleveland, 67, of Augusta, had been held without bond since he turned himself in Monday in accordance with the grand jury arrest warrant. The indictments against Cleveland accuse him of inappropriately touching seven girls younger than 16 between May 3 and May 17 while he was working as a substitute at Brookwood and Riverside elementary schools. The indictment alleges his contact with the girls ranged from placing his hands on their hips and shoulders to rubbing his groin against the head of one girl.

Also indicted Monday was Brookwood Elementary School Assistant Principal Barbara Gleitsmann on two counts of violation of duty to report acts of child abuse, a misdemeanor.

Prosecutors presented cases to the grand jury against two other school officials, Human Resources Director Connie Davis and former Riverside Elementary Principal Jeanie Hill. Davis faced seven counts of not reporting the alleged child-abuse incidents, and Hill faced five identical counts, but the grand jury chose not to indict them.

The following accounts were taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office:

School theft is reported

A public safety officer at Evans High School reported a theft by taking incident to police Tuesday, saying someone broke into the school's concession stand.

The man said someone entered the concession stand of the school at 4550 Cox Road by damaging the stand's door. When the items were inventoried, one 24-drink case of soft drinks was missing.

The incident occurred between 9 p.m. Monday and 10:50 a.m. Tuesday.

Vandals damage window at elementary school

A window at Blue Ridge Elementary School was found damaged Wednesday.

A Columbia County sheriff's deputy noticed the damage during a security check at the school. He said he noticed the shattered window on the west side of a classroom building.

The incident occurred between Monday and 2:18 a.m. Wednesday.

Man is arrested on

false identity charge

A Martinez man was arrested Monday after being accused of giving a false name to a sheriff's deputy during a traffic stop.

Irvine Jureau Alton, 22, of the 100 block of Hillcrest Drive, was arrested on a charge of giving a false name to a law enforcement officer, and of having no taillights and tag lights and no drivers license, according to a sheriff's office report.

Police say he originally told an officer his name was Irvine Jared Allen.

After authorities processed his name through a computer database, they learned Alton was wanted on a warrant from Taliaferro County.

Alton was transported to the Columbia County Detention Center, where he was released Tuesday on a $3,300 bond.