thedrifter
01-13-06, 11:50 AM
Facing deployment to war, Marines arrested
By Enoch Autry/Publisher
Sylvania Telephone, GA
Two U.S. Marines pled guilty Tuesday in court to charges stemming from their Jan. 5 arrests when they established an illegal campsite at the Tuckahoe Management Area.
The men were scheduled for deployment to the war in Iraq.
Christopher David Dickey, 19, of Rifle Road in Sylvania, and Jimmy Titus Joyner, 21, of Jacksonville, N.C., were released from the Screven County Jail into the custody of the Marines' military police Wednesday morning and transported back to their unit at Camp Lejuene in North Carolina.
Dickey and Joyner were sentenced by State Court Judge Grady Reddick on civilian charges of criminal trespass and obstruction of officer. Dickey originally was charged by Screven County Sheriff's Office officials with pointing a gun at another after the Marine allegedly displayed a .22-caliber rifle in the direction of a fisherman on the state wildlife management area, but that charge was dismissed in court.
Dickey's attorney Tony Bazemore said the gun charge lacked sufficient evidence.
Both men were ordered to pay $1,022.50 in fines and are subject to two 12-month probations run concurrently. Because of the misdemeanor charges, both men could have faced a maximum of two years in prison.
Dickey, as part of the reduced sentence, agreed to pay all his fines before his release to military police. The court allowed Joyner, who represented himself, to set up a payment plan for his fines based on his finances.
Since the men were taken into custody by military police, they will not have to report to local probation officials.
Marine officials say it has not yet been determined whether either Dickey or Joyner will face military charges stemming from the incident.
Bazemore denies Dickey attempted to avoid deployment.
"He just wanted to go camping," Bazemore said. "It got to be a big thing, but it wasn't."
Dickey, Bazemore said, was scheduled for return from military leave to his unit in Camp Lejuene, but decided to take some extra days. A 30-day "grace period" can be exercised for those in the military, the attorney said.
"He is just made a mistake," Bazemore said. "He is a good young man from a good family. He just didn't know all the ramifications."
Joyner also was on military leave when he was arrested.
Dickey is a 2005 graduate of Screven County High School, while Joyner graduated from SCHS in 2003.
"They said they wanted to stay there (in Tuckahoe) a couple of weeks until this calmed down," said Sheriff Mike Kile of Dickey and Joyner, who, authorities say, illegally camped in the management area.
On Jan. 5, the Georgia State Patrol, Sylvania Police Department, K-9 units, and helicopter aviation unit from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Fish And Game Commission aided the sheriff's office apprehension of Dickey and Joyner.
Kile said Dickey told deputies: "If I knew I was going to cause this much trouble, I would have gone to Iraq."
Joyner already has served a tour of duty in Iraq, but Dickey has not.
The longer the men stayed away from their military units, the more problems the two could have faced, Kile said.
If a person has been reported missing for 30 days, that person will be registered with the National Criminal Information Center, the sheriff said.
Joyner, Kile said, was captured at Tuckahoe at approximately 5:30 p.m., and Dickey surrendered to authorities at the sheriff's office at 9 p.m.
The Marines had been in the management area since that morning, said Det. Bill Crockett.
Jeff Perry, Joyner's father-in-law, said the Marine had not taken his prescribed psychiatric drugs as directed. Perry said he believes Joyner's lapse in medication played a role in the incident.
Joyner's mother-in-law Eva Perry said the two Marines made a "poor decision."
"Both young men are very aware of their mistake and want to rectify themselves," she said. "Judge Grady Reddick was fair in his decision. He was as fair as he could be.
"We would like to thank Mike Kile, the sheriff's department and all the other agencies who were out there (at Tuckahoe) for a peaceful conclusion," Eva Perry said.
Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area is a state-owned hunting preserve with year-round hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, bird watching, bike riding, walking, or horseback riding on 15,071 acres. It is located in Screven County on Brannen's Bridge Road as the area runs 18 miles along the Savannah River. It also has frontage on Brier Creek and Beaver Dam Creek.
Dickey and Joyner, according to authorities, had formed a campsite in a restricted area. Camping facilities at the area are available next to the check station.
Local officials said Dickey and Joyner were rather prepared for a possible two-week stay in the wilderness.
Loaded large camouflage bags with the two's clothing and gear remained at the sheriff's office until the equipment can be distributed to the proper individuals.
Among the items retrieved were photographs of family members and loved ones, including a picture of a uniformed Joyner and his now-pregnant wife Tiffany with an American flag in the background.
The men also had a 20-pound bag of sugar; portable compact disc player; machete; canteen; fishing rods and tackle box; bows and arrows; shovels and rake. Various food items, including a supply of chicken-flavored Ramen noodles, also were part of the survival gear.
Along with Dickey's .22-caliber rifle, Joyner, police say, too was in possession of the same kind of weapon. Boxes of shells for the rifles were found in the supplies.
Dickey and Joyner also had some books, including "How to Build and Furnish a Log Cabin, using only handtools" and "The Swiss Family Robinson."
Officials say Dickey and Joyner reportedly bought additional items just before their planned stay at Tuckahoe.
Lt. Col. Stephen Neary said the military would list neither of the private first class Marines as Absent Without Leave until military authorities had the chance to meet with Screven County officials.
"We are working with Sheriff Kile on that," said Neary from Camp Lejuene, where Dickey and Joyner are in the 2nd Marine Division.
Neary confirmed that the two Marines were scheduled for deployment to Iraq.
Iraq, within recent weeks, has been besieged with car and suicide bombings.
According to its Web site, 16,018 Second Division Marines are based at Camp Lejuene. Along with the 2nd Marine Division, the 2nd Force Service Support Group and other combat units and support commands are located at Camp Lejuene.
Lejuene's mission statement, the site reads, is "to maintain combat ready units for expeditionary deployment."
Jacksonville, N.C., Joyner's listed address with law enforcement, is located within minutes of the Camp Lejuene base, approximately 350 miles from Sylvania.
Ellie
By Enoch Autry/Publisher
Sylvania Telephone, GA
Two U.S. Marines pled guilty Tuesday in court to charges stemming from their Jan. 5 arrests when they established an illegal campsite at the Tuckahoe Management Area.
The men were scheduled for deployment to the war in Iraq.
Christopher David Dickey, 19, of Rifle Road in Sylvania, and Jimmy Titus Joyner, 21, of Jacksonville, N.C., were released from the Screven County Jail into the custody of the Marines' military police Wednesday morning and transported back to their unit at Camp Lejuene in North Carolina.
Dickey and Joyner were sentenced by State Court Judge Grady Reddick on civilian charges of criminal trespass and obstruction of officer. Dickey originally was charged by Screven County Sheriff's Office officials with pointing a gun at another after the Marine allegedly displayed a .22-caliber rifle in the direction of a fisherman on the state wildlife management area, but that charge was dismissed in court.
Dickey's attorney Tony Bazemore said the gun charge lacked sufficient evidence.
Both men were ordered to pay $1,022.50 in fines and are subject to two 12-month probations run concurrently. Because of the misdemeanor charges, both men could have faced a maximum of two years in prison.
Dickey, as part of the reduced sentence, agreed to pay all his fines before his release to military police. The court allowed Joyner, who represented himself, to set up a payment plan for his fines based on his finances.
Since the men were taken into custody by military police, they will not have to report to local probation officials.
Marine officials say it has not yet been determined whether either Dickey or Joyner will face military charges stemming from the incident.
Bazemore denies Dickey attempted to avoid deployment.
"He just wanted to go camping," Bazemore said. "It got to be a big thing, but it wasn't."
Dickey, Bazemore said, was scheduled for return from military leave to his unit in Camp Lejuene, but decided to take some extra days. A 30-day "grace period" can be exercised for those in the military, the attorney said.
"He is just made a mistake," Bazemore said. "He is a good young man from a good family. He just didn't know all the ramifications."
Joyner also was on military leave when he was arrested.
Dickey is a 2005 graduate of Screven County High School, while Joyner graduated from SCHS in 2003.
"They said they wanted to stay there (in Tuckahoe) a couple of weeks until this calmed down," said Sheriff Mike Kile of Dickey and Joyner, who, authorities say, illegally camped in the management area.
On Jan. 5, the Georgia State Patrol, Sylvania Police Department, K-9 units, and helicopter aviation unit from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Fish And Game Commission aided the sheriff's office apprehension of Dickey and Joyner.
Kile said Dickey told deputies: "If I knew I was going to cause this much trouble, I would have gone to Iraq."
Joyner already has served a tour of duty in Iraq, but Dickey has not.
The longer the men stayed away from their military units, the more problems the two could have faced, Kile said.
If a person has been reported missing for 30 days, that person will be registered with the National Criminal Information Center, the sheriff said.
Joyner, Kile said, was captured at Tuckahoe at approximately 5:30 p.m., and Dickey surrendered to authorities at the sheriff's office at 9 p.m.
The Marines had been in the management area since that morning, said Det. Bill Crockett.
Jeff Perry, Joyner's father-in-law, said the Marine had not taken his prescribed psychiatric drugs as directed. Perry said he believes Joyner's lapse in medication played a role in the incident.
Joyner's mother-in-law Eva Perry said the two Marines made a "poor decision."
"Both young men are very aware of their mistake and want to rectify themselves," she said. "Judge Grady Reddick was fair in his decision. He was as fair as he could be.
"We would like to thank Mike Kile, the sheriff's department and all the other agencies who were out there (at Tuckahoe) for a peaceful conclusion," Eva Perry said.
Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area is a state-owned hunting preserve with year-round hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, bird watching, bike riding, walking, or horseback riding on 15,071 acres. It is located in Screven County on Brannen's Bridge Road as the area runs 18 miles along the Savannah River. It also has frontage on Brier Creek and Beaver Dam Creek.
Dickey and Joyner, according to authorities, had formed a campsite in a restricted area. Camping facilities at the area are available next to the check station.
Local officials said Dickey and Joyner were rather prepared for a possible two-week stay in the wilderness.
Loaded large camouflage bags with the two's clothing and gear remained at the sheriff's office until the equipment can be distributed to the proper individuals.
Among the items retrieved were photographs of family members and loved ones, including a picture of a uniformed Joyner and his now-pregnant wife Tiffany with an American flag in the background.
The men also had a 20-pound bag of sugar; portable compact disc player; machete; canteen; fishing rods and tackle box; bows and arrows; shovels and rake. Various food items, including a supply of chicken-flavored Ramen noodles, also were part of the survival gear.
Along with Dickey's .22-caliber rifle, Joyner, police say, too was in possession of the same kind of weapon. Boxes of shells for the rifles were found in the supplies.
Dickey and Joyner also had some books, including "How to Build and Furnish a Log Cabin, using only handtools" and "The Swiss Family Robinson."
Officials say Dickey and Joyner reportedly bought additional items just before their planned stay at Tuckahoe.
Lt. Col. Stephen Neary said the military would list neither of the private first class Marines as Absent Without Leave until military authorities had the chance to meet with Screven County officials.
"We are working with Sheriff Kile on that," said Neary from Camp Lejuene, where Dickey and Joyner are in the 2nd Marine Division.
Neary confirmed that the two Marines were scheduled for deployment to Iraq.
Iraq, within recent weeks, has been besieged with car and suicide bombings.
According to its Web site, 16,018 Second Division Marines are based at Camp Lejuene. Along with the 2nd Marine Division, the 2nd Force Service Support Group and other combat units and support commands are located at Camp Lejuene.
Lejuene's mission statement, the site reads, is "to maintain combat ready units for expeditionary deployment."
Jacksonville, N.C., Joyner's listed address with law enforcement, is located within minutes of the Camp Lejuene base, approximately 350 miles from Sylvania.
Ellie