Augusta, GA
12 On Your Side Investigates: Fired marshal’s deputy pleads guilty to sexual battery
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.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Students showcased drones they built during a two-week summer camp at Augusta Regional Airport on Friday.
12 junior and high school students attended the camp, where they learned to fly and build drones designed to help others.
Anderson Puryear, a student, said the camp focused on delivering small medical supplies.
“It was focused on delivering small medical supplies like an EPI pen or glucose packet for like diabetics and for people with allergies in need in the real world that could obviously help save lives, and if people are like in a place in a boat or like in the desert or in the forest where they can’t easily access those supplies it can save their lives,” Puryear said.
The airport partnered with Georgia Tech, state troopers and the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Department for the Air Edu Summer Camp.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The 10th annual Juneteenth Augusta Festival brought families to the Augusta Fairgrounds on Friday despite the muggy heat.
Cultural and community-focused events, live music performances and food trucks were available at the celebration.
Tonia Hill, attending the Juneteenth celebration, said she loves the holiday and is supporting the community, though she acknowledged the weather conditions.
“I love Juneteenth. And I’m supporting everybody. It’s hot. It’s hot. It’s hot,” Hill said.
The festival runs until 10 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Dream Center is seeing more families turn to its food pantry this summer as children lose access to school lunches.
Organizations like the Augusta Dream Center see a surge in families who relied on school lunches during the academic year, according to Hallie Kohan, assistant director.
“We see a lot more families that have young kids who are in need that simply don’t have those meals they are normally getting,” Kohan said. “We see an influx of families that come through.”
Demand is up, but the food supply is not keeping pace.
“Right now we are having some food distribution issues so while we are seeing an increase in families, we are seeing a decrease in the amount of food coming through our doors,” Kohan said.
The center is asking the community to host food drives or donate kid-friendly items such as mac and cheese and oatmeal.
Every Sunday the Dream Center opens its doors for a hot meal, serving as many as 120 people.
“Families can come in and get their hot meal. They sit down, it’s dignified, it’s a diner,” Kohan said. “It’s a welcoming experience for kids to come in and not feel like they are in need.”
No paperwork is required to receive help.
“Just because you think someone is in a great situation, in today’s economy you never know,” Kohan said. “It could be your neighbor, mom, or best friend.”
The Augusta Dream Center food pantry is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m. Hot meals are served Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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