released the names Monday of the 19 teenagers—ranging in age from 17 to 19—who were arrested in connection with the vandalism of .
According to a Sheriff's Office news release, all 19 are charged with felony criminal interference with government property.
The arrests came sometime after 3:47 a.m. Sunday after deputies responded to a passer-by’s tip stating that multiple people dressed in all black were spray-painting the school.
When deputies arrived, males and females scattered, and the deputies gave chase, catching several of those who had been vandalizing the school.
Though 19 people have been arrested, authorities say more arrests are probable as the investigation continues.
Those age 17 who were arrested are Courtney Reede Grant, Hunter Harry Ledbetter, Brandon Lee Owensby, William Patrick, Courtney Lynn Turner and Zachariah Jame Zazverskey. Under Georgia law, the justice system treats all 17-year-olds as adults.
Eleven 18-year-olds were arrested: Olamide Ayobele Akinbohun, Jamie Raquel Bowder, Christian Armani Browder, Deanna Marie Dane, Michael Chance Kornegay, Walter Lewis III, Harold Gene Nowden, Jovanca Briana Pazmino, Joshua Alexendria Pete, Andres Bryce Forn Suttles and Madison Nicole Wood.
Also arrested were 19-year-olds Jeremy Rogers and Devantae Alexander Terrell.
Investigators are still determining if all those arrested are students at East Paulding High.
The vandalism is being regarded as a “senior prank” by some. Those involved in the incident spray-painted “Senior” and “2012” across the school’s campus—including the guard shack, two county vehicles and the roadway—and the subdivision across the street.
The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office and the are urging those with any additional information to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at the Sheriff’s Office at 770-443-3105.
Dallas-Hiram Patch will have more on this story as it develops.
Next, I think the Patch and the Paulding County Sherrif's Deparyment are sensationalizing the story by stating they are charged with felonies. I would bet not a single individual will be convicted with a felony. They should not even have been charged. As Del said, it is a stupid senior prank and they should just be forced to clean it up. Just being charged has ramifications. If any are fortunate enough to get accepted to Law School they will have to explain this matter, because the authorities were not smart enough to recognize this for what it is.
The community commentators, while certainly angry with the poor decisions of these young people, are generally looking to stipulate the "punishment" without regard to the legal processes that are already stipulated. To accord the students the title of "good" does not play out in their behavior. The school administration needs to re-visit the teaching and expectations for their students, to establish that such behavior has a cost, and that every student is fully aware of the policies and expectations. This is part of their role as employees for the school system.
I'd also like to say to the parents ridiculing these parents for letting there kids out at 4am, don't act like y'all have never snuck out of the house when y'all were younger and who says these parents "let" there kids go out. Most parents are asleep at 4am so it's not like it'd be hard to sneak out and btw, I'm a Christian but religion has nothing to do with how a kid is raised bc you can still not be a Believer in God and have the same qualifications for raising your child, as in manners and etc and to say that these kids need to sit in church and that by doing this would solve the problem is ignorant.