A volunteer firefighter from Towns County is being accused of multiple fraud-related offenses, according to GBI.
This is the second arrest of a Towns County volunteer firefighter within two days, as Scott Kerlin, 42, of Hiawassee, was charged on Tuesday, March 18 with misdemeanor obstruction after allegedly sharing crime scene photos involving the deaths of two twin brothers who were found on Bell Mountain.
On Monday, March 17, the GBI arrested Jerry Wayne Canterbury, 55, of Hiawassee, on multiple charges related to falsified records and computer forgery.
Canterbury faces two misdemeanor counts of false statements or falsified records and one felony count of computer forgery, according to authorities.
His arrest follows a GBI investigation launched in December of last year at the request of local authorities looking into a theft case.
During the probe, investigators uncovered evidence that Canterbury had allegedly falsified documents related to the Firefighter Pension Fund and engaged in computer forgery.
Authorities took Canterbury into custody on March 17. He was processed and booked into the Towns County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation remains ongoing. Officials urge anyone with relevant information to contact the GBI Tipline at 800-597-TIPS (8477), submit tips online at gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or use the “See Something, Send Something” mobile app.
