Paulding County Deputy Receives Safety Award!

 Deputy Brian Fitzgerald 

Awarded the Commissioner’s

 Public Safety Award

(Paulding County, GA) On May 28, 2013 Deputy Brian Fitzgerald of the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Youth Services Division was awarded the Paulding County Board of Commissioner’s Public Safety Award. 

Deputy Fitzgerald was awarded the Paulding Commissioner’s Public Safety Award for his exemplary service to the Youth Services Division, as well as the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office and South Paulding High School. Deputy Fitzgerald is a School Resource Officer (SRO) in the Youth Services Division and has had an exemplary career with the Paulding County
Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Fitzgerald is the SRO at South Paulding High School.

Deputy Fitzgerald was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Board of Commissioners along with a “Dinner for Two” Gift Card from Texas Roadhouse.

On hand to present the award was: 

Standing First Row (L-R): 

Lieutenant Dee Morris

Jennifer Fitzgerald (Deputy Fitzgerald’s wife)

Deputy Brian Fitzgerald

Sheriff Gary Gulledge.

Standing Rear Row (L-R):

Post 1 Commissioner Dave Carmichael

Post 2 Commissioner Todd Pownall

County Attorney Jayson Phillips

Commission Chairman David Austin

Post 4 Commissioner David Barnett 

Post 3 Commissioner Tommie Graham

Congratulations to
 Deputy Fitzgerald 
and thanks to 

Texas Roadhouse 
for the generous donation 
of the gift card!

Craigslist Ad leads to Rape and Kidnapping charges!

Paulding County Man Arrested for Rape and Kidnapping

(Paulding County, GA) On May 29, 2013 Deputies with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshal’s Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, and the Haralson-Paulding Drug Task Force served a search warrant and arrest warrant on Christopher Michael Smith (W/M, 37 YOA) at his home on May 29, 2013. 

The arrest warrants and subsequent search warrant stemmed from an alleged rape and sexual assault that occurred on the evening of Monday May 27, 2013 at Smith’s residence 
(1467 Mt. Tabor Church Road Dallas, GA).

According to the victim, an ad was placed on Craigslist advertising her services as a bartender. When Smith contacted the victim, he explained that he was having a party and wanted to hire her to bartend. Once the victim was picked up by Smith on the evening of the supposed party, she was taken back to his Mt. Tabor Church Road residence where the rape took place. Once the incident was over, the victim was then taken back to her vehicle and instructed not to call law enforcement officials or else. 

As a result of the rape and sexual assault, Smith was charged with the following offenses:

-Rape (F)

-Aggravated Assault (F)

-Aggravated Sexual Battery (F)

-Aggravated Sodomy (F)

-Kidnapping (F)

-Possession of Marijuana with Intent 
 to Distribute (F)

-Battery (M)

Smith is currently being housed at the Paulding County Detention Center where he is being held with no bond. Considering the way in which this crime occurred, Detectives believe that there is the possibility that there may be other victims that have not come forward. Detectives want to reach out to anyone that may have had contact with Smith in the past that may possibly be a victim of rape or sexual assault to call the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at (770) 443-3015.