AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Antioch Baptist Church hosted resources and conversations Saturday morning during the State of the Black Family conference.

The annual conference provides resources and solutions to issues that black families are facing.

The organizers said the event is an opportunity for the community to speak about things to strengthen the community.

They say the conference is a time for people to come together and breathe.

“Like when I think about this conference, as long as it’s a pause for a second, there is so much going around in general. But the moment to be able to pause and be a minority group, and as people in general to be able to sit and talk about, ‘Hey, this is what’s going on,’ and being able to pause and have that dialogue. So it’s important to all of us because it’s strengthened if the black family or minority families are strengthened, it helps the whole community as a whole, and we all can breathe,” said Carmen Lejune Coleman.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Former Richmond County Marshal’s Deputy Detric Jones pleaded guilty to misdemeanor sexual battery from a case out of McDuffie County, according to court records.

Jones was terminated from the marshal’s office and is now under investigation for simple battery.

Internal affairs documents from the Richmond County Marshal’s Office reveal Jones was fired after an incident at Augusta Regional Airport on Dec. 9, 2025.

According to the victim’s statement, Jones approached a passenger assistance liaison for a badge check. The victim said Jones squeezed behind her chair and brushed his erect private part against her shoulder.

He then allegedly leaned in and asked her twice: “Did you feel that?”

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CCTV captured the two together, but the physical contact happened in a “blind spot” of the cameras. Jones denied the remarks, suggesting he “possibly brushed” against her by accident.

Records show Jones was fired that same day. The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office started its own investigation into Jones for simple battery.

Less than a week after being fired in Richmond County, Jones was hired as a deputy in Burke County on Dec. 15. His tenure there lasted exactly seven days. By Dec. 22, Burke County human resources scrubbed him from the employee list, stating he would “not be employed here.”

While Jones was wearing the marshal’s uniform, he had been indicted by a grand jury in McDuffie County for an incident from June 2024.

In McDuffie County, Jones was a captain with the McDuffie County Board of Education Police. A victim at a juvenile justice office said Jones groped her, put his hands inside her clothes and forced a kiss on her.

On Feb. 2, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor sexual battery for that McDuffie County case. He was granted first-offender status, given 12 months of probation, and a $500 fine.

Pattern of resignations

Richmond County Marshal Ramone Lampkin said at an Augusta Commission meeting more than a year ago: “People deserve second chances. We don’t know all the facts behind it. We talked to all the parties involved, and I can’t say too much because it’s an active investigation, but I am clear that we are good with this hire.”

On Friday, Lampkin released another statement:

“I want to provide clarity on the Detric Jones hire. At the time of hiring, he was under indictment but fully cleared by POST and other agencies. We conducted thorough due diligence. Upon employment, he was warned that any further allegations would result in immediate termination. When we received an allegation involving a female, we terminated him immediately and reported it to POST to suspend his certification.”

Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council records show that for years, Jones “voluntarily resigned” from every agency he worked for. Because he resigned before investigations were finished, POST was never notified of his conduct.

POST confirms Jones is now under active investigation following his termination from the Richmond County Marshal’s Office.

READ MORE: POST RECORDS FOR DETRIC JONES

In 2015, he was suspended for inappropriate comments to students.

Despite that, he nearly became a sheriff, winning the primary in Wilkes County months ago.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Junior Players are presenting “North Star,” a story about a young Black girl growing up during the Civil Rights Movement, in honor of Black History Month.

The performance focuses on resilience, family and stories that shape identity. The production uses a stripped-down approach on a small stage to emphasize the message the young actors deliver to audiences.

“I started to learn about my character and about the play and it was very impactful for me on a personal level,” said Nate Miligns, who plays Willie in “North Star.”

“North Star” retells the story of Relia, a young Black girl growing up during a time when finding your voice was rare and life was unfair to her family and other Black families during the Civil Rights Movement.

“He’s really passionate in his beliefs for freedom and free will. I think it’s kind of interesting that his mind is the fact that he thinks he isn’t heard,” Miligns said about his character Willie.

Co-director Sean Moton said working on the play demonstrates variety as the spice of life.

“I work with kids all day, so it’s nice to come and work with adults and kids who have a real passion for it, so it’s a joy,” Moton said.

Lewis said the play shows that every person has their own guiding star.

“The play itself is so impactful in itself. There’s such a great message that we’re trying to share about free will and our history, I’m so happy I got a chance to learn something from this character,” Sean said.

Lewis said he hopes audiences start seeing their light that can act as a guide, a light that heals, and a light that can change the world.

“North Star” will be performed Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Kroc Center. Tickets can be purchased here.

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