The New Year Partying (and DUIs) Have Started

Kenneth Baughman hasn't learned his lesson, apparently.

The 30-year-old Ridge Spring man was busted again for driving under the influence early this morning, and a cut on his face suggests it may have been the result of an accident. We're not sure.

But a look at his 2004 arrest for DUI and not wearing a seatbelt shows that injuries from a drunk driving accident hasn't really taught the man anything. That's his 2004 mugshot at the bottom, where he doesn't look so healthy.

And if that wasn't bad enough, Kenneth was arrested for DUI two other times in Aiken County, including in November 2002 and March 2007. In the 2002 arrest, he was also charged with hit & run and driving under suspension, according to jail records.

If there's a lesson here for the rest of us, it's to drink responsibly and guarantee yourself a safe and Happy New Year!

Woman Sends Weed Through Mail to Inmates

An Augusta woman has joined her friends in jail after trying to send them marijuana in a letter, according to a sheriff's report.

Natasha Watkins, 27, of Augusta, is accused of taping loose marijuana to the inside of three letters and sending them to the Richmond County Detention Center earlier this month. She allegedly sent 0.3 grams each in two letters and 0.1 gram in a letter addressed to a different man.

When confronted about the marijuana, Ms. Watkins "admitted to sending the letters containing the marijuana," the report states.

Ms. Watkins was charged this week with three counts of possession of marijuana and three counts of felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Her bond was set at $13,400.

Jail officials say they commonly find marijuana hidden in letters addressed to inmates. Sometimes, they find it hidden behind the postage stamp, taped to letters or behind address labels.

"It's something that happens a lot in the jail," Sgt. Lisa Rohrbaugh told The Jail Report. "They do something with their batteries and their Walkmans to make the heat to burn the paper."

Sgt. Rohrbaugh also said they find obscene pictures and tobacco hidden in letters. They have three people who sort through the mail before it's delivered to inmates. If they are suspicious of a package, they investigate the contents.

Sinful Shoplifter

A woman's expensive taste in clothes may cost her dearly in court.

Bianca Holmes, 21, of Augusta, shoplifted her way to a felony after filling a bag with name-brand clothing Monday afternoon at the Augusta Mall's Buckle store, according to a sheriff's report. Among the items she's accused of stealing were a $195 pair of Affliction-brand jeans and two Affliction-brand shirts worth $68 each.

An employee told authorities that he watched the woman put two pairs of jeans and four shirts into a bag, head into a dressing room and then leave the store with the stolen clothes. Inside the dressing room, he found security tags that had been removed from the clothing. When he stopped the suspect in the mall, she was carrying the stolen merchandise and a pair of wire cutters.

Ms. Holmes was taken to jail on the felony shoplifting charge, where oddly enough she was photographed in an Affliction-brand shirt that says "Sinful."

If she had stolen two pairs of jeans and four shirts at Walmart, her charge would have probably been a misdemeanor. Anything over $300 is a felony and punishable by 1-10 years in prison.

Rape Charge in Augusta

James Bernard Thomas, 19, of Augusta, has been arrested on a charge of felony rape following allegations from a 19-year-old woman that he locked her in her apartment and forced her to have sex last month.

The woman made the claim on Nov. 27. Mr. Thomas was arrested Sunday.

According to a report, the woman said she went to an apartment to retrieve a key from Mr. Thomas at 6:45 pm on Nov. 27. The victim said Mr. Thomas then locked her in the apartment and forcibly raped her.

"Person of Interest" Found

Investigators have interviewed 33-year-old Tony Darryl Collier as a “person of interest" in a drug-related slaying Monday morning at 1631 Cleveland Street in Augusta.

Henry “Mendez” Stokes, 37, was found shot to death at the address, which is a boarding house. The motive for the killing appears to be a drug-related robbery, said Lt. Scott Peebles with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office.

Mr. Collier (shown above in a previous mugshot) is not considered a suspect at this time, but was believed to have information crucial to the investigation.

High Times in Aiken

Four young people were busted in Aiken in the last 24 hours for simple possession of marijuana.

The Aiken County Detention Center booked the following four people in the hours after Christmas:

• Cleo Jones, 23, of Aiken (top mugshot)
  
• Adrian Matthews, 18, of Aiken (2nd mugshot)
• Mark Thomas, of Aiken (3rd mugshot)
• Joshua Wharton, of Aiken (bottom mugshot)

Drunk Driving on Christmas Day

Aiken County authorities were out in full force on Christmas Day, making sure the roads were safe for those who were traveling. As part of their efforts, three people were busted for drunk driving yesterday:

• North Augusta public safety officers arrested 44-year-old Bryan Lavender (top) with his second DUI offense and having open container of alcohol in his vehicle.
• Aiken public safety stopped Aiken resident Eddie Abney (middle photo) on Christmas night and charged him with driving under the influence.
• The South Carolina Highway Patrol leveled multiple charges against Graniteville resident Katherine Yonce (bottom) after stopping her in the evening. She was charged with DUI, driving under suspension, operating an uninsured vehicle and other traffic offenses.
  

The Grinches That Tried to Steal Christmas (Allegedly)

You know those people that police warn you about every Christmas? The thieves who will break into your car and steal your gifts unless you lock your stuff in the trunk or cover them with something?

Well, Richmond County authorities busted three of those guys this week, just as Christmas approached.

Daniel Denny, 17 (top), Scott Tavarez, 21 (middle), and Gregory Bentley, 21 (bottom), were each charged Wednesday with five counts of entering a vehicle to commit theft. They were arrested and booked into the Richmond County Jail.

We don't know what they were going after, but it certainly would have ruined someone's holiday if they had taken it. Perhaps the judicial system can show them the error of their ways (and, like the fictional Grinch, make their hearts grow three sizes.)

Sex Charges Mean Christmas in Jail For Suspects

It looks like these two suspects will be spending Christmas in the Aiken County Jail after their arrest this week on felony sex crime offenses.

The cases are not related, but they are each accused of sex-related crimes.

Justin Livingston, 19 (top), was arrested by North Augusta authorities on Wednesday and charged with unlawful dissemination of obscene material to a person under 18, a felony.

It's a charge that South Carolina has deemed against morality and decency. According to the statute, "an individual 18 years of age or older who knowingly disseminates to a person under the age of 18 years material which he knows or reasonably should know to be obscene ... is guilty of a felony."

The offense carries a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years. Jail officials say Mr. Livingston will have to remain in jail through Christmas and New Year until another General Session bond hearing is held. Until then, he is being held without bond.

In an unrelated case, an Aiken woman originally charged with shoplifting has been booked on five felony sex charges.

Pearline Connelly, 23 (bottom), was charged this week with criminal solicitation of a minor, two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of lewd act on a child under 16. She is also expected to remain in jail through Christmas.

If the charges are true, we know who's getting coal in their stocking.

Cute and Caught?

Renae Young, 17, of Augusta, was busted Monday for shoplifting in Richmond County.

The message on her shirt got cut off on the mugshot. What do you think it says?

CUTE AND......

Truck Driver Charged with Credit Card Fraud

A former North Augusta truck driver has been moved to the Augusta jail to face charges that he used a gas card from his former employer for personal use.

Matthew Howell, 39, is facing five felony counts of credit card fraud.

Officials at the suspect's former employer, RBW Logistics in Augusta, told authorities that someone was using a Fuelman card and making unauthorized charges in both South Carolina and Georgia. An investigation revealed that Mr. Howell had taken someone else's card after he quit and using his old PIN number before it was cancelled, authorities said.

Mr. Howell was subsequently charged with several counts of credit card fraud in both states. He was sentenced to fines and restitution in South Carolina and was transferred Tuesday to Augusta to face the Georgia charges.

Woman Stabbed to Death at Cherry Tree Crossing

WRDW-TV is reporting that a 21-year-old woman was stabbed to death this afternoon in Cherry Tree Crossing.

Melissa House, shown above in a previous police mugshot, was reportedly stabbed several times sometime after 3 p.m. at 1490 Tobias Court, the TV station reported.

A female suspect is reportedly being questioned in the killing and faces murder charges.

Man Killed During Burglary in Augusta

A burglar was killed in Augusta this morning during a break-in, authorities said.

The man has been tentatively identified as 41-year-old Charles Rodriquez Harris (pictured above during a previous arrest). He was reportedly shot in the back and abdomen while breaking into a residence at 1030 6th Avenue in Augusta, authorities said.

An officer responding to a burglary at the home discovered Mr. Harris' body. Upon further investigation, it was learned that the residence at 1030 6^th Avenue had been burglarized and the unidentified black male was the perpetrator, Sgt. Dresser said. Mr. Harris was confronted and shot during the incident.

The shooter, who was attempting to stop the burglary, was questioned and released pending further investigation, according to Sgt. Blaise Dresser. It was also discovered that Mr. Harris had property that was linked to another burglary that occurred earlier this morning on the 1500 block of Wrightsboro Road.

The coroner has tried unsuccessfully to notify Mr. Harris' next of kin. Anyone that has knowledge of a family member of Harris (also known as Marquet Jones) is asked to call the Richmond County Coroner’s Office at 706 821-2382.

Mail Thief Busted in Aiken

Aiken police say they have busted the teenager responsible for a series of mail thefts from area homes.

His motive? He was looking for cash in Christmas cards, authorities say.

Bobby James Turner, 19, was arrested this afternoon with simple larceny after he was seen last week by a homeowner getting mail out of a mailbox on Dogwood Road and placing it in his jacket. The teen was later identified and a warrant was obtained.

After the arrest was made, Mr. Turner was interviewed and now faces charges with thefts on Dunbarton Circle, Boardman Road, and Grace Avenue.

In a press release, Aiken Public Safety authorities asks the public to keep in mind that any valuable items that need to be mailed may not be safe in your home mailbox. "Try to use the local post office for sensitive items that need to be mailed. This is especially important this time of year," the release stated.

Terroristic Threats & Acts

A Hephzibah woman's been arrested on a felony for throwing a rock through a woman's car window and shattering the glass onto the victim's two children.

Jennifer Scott Miller, 32, of Hephzibah, was charged Friday with felony terroristic threats acts.

The victim, Linda Williams, said she was driving her 2001 Ford Econo Van on 15th Street near Essie McIntyre Boulevard when the suspect threw a rock through the front-passenger window. The impact shattered the window and caused glass to fall onto her two sons, who were both sitting in the front seat. Medics were called to the scene to check out the two boys, who were found to have no significant injuries, a report states.

The victim said she had been having problems with Ms. Miller in the past. An investigation into the Nov. 4 incident led to Friday's arrest of Ms. Miller.

The damage to the van was estimated at $200.

Crash Kills Aiken Man. (He Was Not Wearing a Seat Belt )

A single vehicle crash on Rushton Rd. in Aiken County SC has claimed the life of 50-year-old Donnie Ray Fox of Aiken. Mr. Fox lost control of his 1996 Chrysler Sebring, the vehicle overturned and Mr. Fox was ejected.

The crash happened at approximately 8:55pm on 12.19.2009. Mr. Fox was alledgedly coming from a party when the crash occurred. Toxicology is pending.

Mr. Fox was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Speed and alcohol may also be factors in the crash. This is the 36th traffic fatality in Aiken County in 2009.

Like Mother, Like Daughters

A mother and her two daughters were busted Saturday for shoplifting in Columbia County.

Stephanie Veasley, 41 (top), Brittany Veasley, 21, (middle) and Cierra Veasley, 17, were each charged with one count of shoplifting less than $300.

The trio were booked into the Columbia County Detention Center, where they remained this afternoon awaiting bond.

Private Detective Arrested in Columbia County

Columbia County authorities have arrested a North Carolina man for illegally working as a private detective in Georgia and trying to prevent the apprehension of his teenage son on sexual battery charges.

Johnny Bartlett, 58, of Warsaw, N.C., was arrested Thursday after he tried to take off with his 15-year-old son, an Evans boy who was being sought for sexual battery on a teenage girl, according to Investigator Brian Jones with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

Investigator Jones said the suspect was contacting witnesses to the sexual battery, posing as a private detective. He was trying to get information on his son's case, but he was not licensed to act as a private detective in Georgia, only in North Carolina, the investigator said.

The suspect's son is living with a relative in Evans and was being sought on sexual battery charges, but Mr. Bartlett "tried to take off with his son," leading to a charge of hindering apprehension or punishment of a criminal.

Now, both the son and the father have been arrested. A charge of hindering apprehension is a felony while the charge of unlawfully engaging in private detective business is a misdemeanor.

Not Taking Separation Too Well

An Augusta man went crazy on his estranged wife just a few days after they separated, according to a sheriff's report.

Earl Eubanks, 40, is accused of kicking in the door to his wife's 13th Street apartment on Wednesday, grabbing a kitchen knife, and threatening to kill everyone in the house. When the victim locked herself in the master bathroom, Mr. Eubanks broke the door to get to her, but he did not hurt her, a report states.

Authorities filed simple assault charges against Mr. Eubanks for the incident. A report states the couple had been married eight years and just separated less than a week ago.

Mom Arrested for Daughter's Hooky

A mother in Martinez was arrested Tuesday for not making her 14-year-old daughter go to school.

Felicia Suzanne Holley, 36, is accused of not requiring her minor child to attend school as required by Georgia law, according to Columbia County authorities.

Authorities say the mother did not provide proper documentation and supervision of her minor child. She also didn't respond to the sheriff’s office or officials at Stallings Island Middle School in reference to her daughter missing more than 20 days of school, officials said.

Ms. Holley was charged with violation of school attendance laws. She was booked and later released on bond.

The Man Who Caused So Much Trouble

We've got the mugshot of the driver who led police on a chase Tuesday along Wrightsboro Road, a chase that ended when the suspect smashed into a flat-bed truck carrying cases of water, juice and soda.

Victor James Evans was clearly injured in the accident and is pictured in a hospital gown. His mugshot shows multiple head wounds. The 32-year-old Augusta man was charged with disregarding a stop sign, fleeing and attempting to elude an officer, driving without a license and reckless driving.

The accident caused hundreds of drink bottles to litter the road after the Honda Accord hit the truck. The truck caught fire and was pushed through a yard into a neighbor's fence. A power pole was also split, causing a power outage in the area.

The driver of the truck, 72-year-old James Brown Sr. of Augusta, was treated for minor injuries at the Medical College of Georgia Hospital.

Authorities say a deputy began to chase the suspect's vehicle because the car matched the description of one used after a theft from the Family Dollar earlier in the day.

Traffic was tied up for hours on Wrightsboro Road following the wreck.

Alcohol Binger - Compliments of the Parents

A Hephzibah woman was busted Sunday for stealing five cases of beer and four gallons of liquor from her parent's home and then drinking some of it with her own teenage son, according to a sheriff's report.

Jessica (Bradley) Loren, 37, of Hephzibah, is accused of breaking into a camper at her parent's residence on Alpine Road in Augusta. At the time, the suspect's parents were in Jamaica on vacation.

The suspect's mother told authorities the alcohol was left over from a wedding reception. She said she had locked it up in a backyard camper with the intention of returning it to the original place of purchase. She returned home last week to find a lock broken and the alcohol missing.

Investigators talked to the suspect's 16-year-old son, who said Ms. Loren instructed him to help her remove the alcohol from the home. He said his mother then shared the alcohol with him, and they drank it in front of Mr. Loren's other son, who is 3 years old.

Ms. Loren was charged with burglary, theft by taking and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Exclusive: Murder Suspect Re-Arrested While Out on Bond

Paul Hett, the North Augusta man accused of beating his brother to death last year and leaving his body to rot, was re-arrested Monday on traffic charges.

North Augusta police stopped Mr. Hett Monday afternoon and discovered the murder suspect was driving under a suspended license, operating without insurance and carrying an altered vehicle license, according to jail records.

Until his arrest Monday, the accused killer had been free on $75,000 bond since November 28, 2008. He is currently being held in the Aiken County Detention Center.

Assistant Solicitor Steve Kodman told The Jail Report today that he anticipates Mr. Hett's murder case will go to trial early next year. "He was indicted for murder, and we intend to go forward," Mr. Kodman said.

Mr. Hett, 55, stands accused of bludgeoning his brother David with a wooden axe handle on Sept. 19, 2008, and leaving him to die on the victim's own living room floor. Three days later, a good friend of David Hett discovered his body, which was decomposed and surrounded by blood.

Friends of the victim said the brothers were apparently feuding about their mother's will. David was apparently left out of the will when their mother died, and Paul was going to get everything.

After Monday's arrest, a judge set his bond at $3,342. Mr. Hett will likely be allowed to go free on bond again if he meets the requirements of the smaller bond.

The Solicitor's Office would have to file a motion to revoke Mr. Hett's bond on the murder charge to keep him behind bars, but that is unlikely. A judge would be asked to consider the lack of a conviction in deciding on revocation, Mr. Kodman said.

The Green is Gone

An Aiken man -- whose first name is "Aiken" -- was charged Monday with credit card fraud.

The most recent mugshot of 31-year-old Aiken Abstance III (top) is a far cry from a bizarre 2002 mugshot (bottom) in which he has green hair and a striped beard. When that mugshot was taken by Aiken County jailers in August 2002, the young man was facing charges of burglary and assault & battery of a high & aggravated nature.

Looks like he's calmed down a little bit since his wild days.

Woman Tries to Escape Jail Through Ceiling

The Richmond County Jail had their hands full over the weekend when a female burglary suspect wiggled out of a restraint chair and tried to escape through the ceiling, authorities said.

The woman, identified as 34-year-old Sanderdeanor Hogues of Augusta, was being restrained after an earlier incident in which she threw a chair during an interview with detectives. The suspect, who is 5'6" and 105 pounds, got out of the restraint chair and then tried to escape by climbing on top of a counter and partition and accessing the ceiling through the ceiling tiles, a report states. Ms. Hogues was detained after a brief struggle with jailers.

If the woman's escape attempt wasn't weird enough, details of her alleged burglary are even more bizarre.

A 52-year-old man told deputies that he returned to his home about 5:10 p.m. Thursday on Tamarind Way to find Ms. Hogues lounging under a blanket on his video rocker, a report states. She had already consumed a $20 bottle of his wine and ransacked the home.

When the burglar saw the homeowner come in, she got up and tried to leave with more wine, a flashlight, a telephone jack and the man's checkbook. Officers responded to a 911 call and detained the woman, who had forced open a rear window to get inside.

Ms. Hogues is facing a long list of charges, including burglary, theft by taking, criminal attempted escape, two counts of interference with government property and giving false information to police.

Elderly Man Charged with DUI After Bizarre Wreck

A 71-year-old Augusta man has been formally charged with drunk driving and following too closely in a bizarre wreck last month on Wheeler Road.

Marion Chafin (shown above) rear-ended a family station wagon with a woman and three children inside. After the initial collision, witnesses say he continued to ram the back of the car four or five times and vomited into a cup.

Shinika Simmons told authorities that she was sitting in her car at a stop light on Wheeler Road near Bobby Jones Expressway on Nov. 3 when Mr. Chafin rear-ended her 2005 Pontiac Vibe with his truck.

Witness Taneha Moody saw the collision, got out of her vehicle and approached the elderly man's truck. In a written statement, she says she "observed the gentleman continue to hit the vehicle and rev his engine" despite her pleas for him to turn the engine off.

"I also saw the older gentleman vomit into a cup, acting strange as if he did not understand what we were asking him to do," Ms. Moody said.

Because of the man's bizarre behavior, Ms. Moody rushed to help the victim get the three children out of her vehicle and to the side of the road. No one was injured.

After a sheriff's investigation, Mr. Chafin was arrested last Wednesday. A report states his truck contained a walker and two oxygen tanks.

Masturbation for Hire in Columbia County

A woman was arrested in Columbia County early today on a charge of masturbation for hire.

Kyong Cha Yun, 57, was charged with the misdemeanor offense just after midnight this morning.

An incident report was not immediately available, but such arrests are usually made during raids at late-night massage parlors.

In fact, authorities in Macon busted three women in October after raiding raid several Macon massage parlors. In that bust, one woman was charged with prostitution and two others were charged with masturbation for hire.

According to Georgia statutes: (a) A person, including a masseur or masseuse, commits the offense of masturbation for hire when he erotically stimulates the genital organs of another, whether resulting in orgasm or not, by manual or other bodily contact exclusive of sexual intercourse or by instrumental manipulation for money or the substantial equivalent thereof. (b) A person convicted of the offense of masturbation for hire shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

EXCLUSIVE: ACSO Arrests Wife of Murder Victim

The wife of a man killed last month in a "drug deal gone bad" was arrested this morning on a felony drug charge.

Melanie Lirley, 29, of Aiken, was arrested by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office on a charge of possession of controlled substances (schedule I, II, V), according to jail records.

On November 23, the suspect's husband, 35-year-old Paul Lirley, was shot in “what appears to be a drug deal gone bad,” according to Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene near Crestland Drive and Weston Drive in North Augusta.

Neighbors reported hearing gunshots and finding the victim’s wife crying that her husband had been shot.

Authorities have arrested one man and are seeking another man in the killing. Robert Lee Smith II, 18, of Aiken, was captured last week and charged with murder, armed robbery, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime and conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Vincent Marlous Manning, 33, of North Augusta, is wanted on charges of murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

According to his obituary, the victim was a native of Heidelberg, Germany, and he had made Aiken his home for the past four years. Mr. Lirley was a carpenter by trade in construction and attended Cedar Creek Church.

Augusta Suspect Tied to Robbery Spree

Today, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Gregory Johnson (top mugshot) and Christopher Carter (bottom) for the robbery of the Movie Gallery located at 4104 Windsor Spring Road on Dec. 5 at approximately 9:35 pm.

Mr. Johnson and Mr. Carter were charged with robbery by intimidation. At the time of Mr. Carter’s arrest, he provided a false name of Terry Dean Carter, according to Sgt. Blaise Dresser. His true identity of Christopher Carter was later determined. He was also charged with misdemeanor giving a false name and birthdate to a law enforcement officer.

The following cases were also linked to Mr. Johnson’s robbery spree:

• Aug. 12: At approximately 7:25 pm, Party-N-Dollar was robbed on Bobby Jones Expressway. Mr. Johnson was charged with Robbery by Intimidation in this incident.
• Nov. 16: At about 8:54 p.m., Jo-Ann’s Fabric at 3435 Wrightsboro Road was robbed. Mr. Johnson was charged with criminal attempt robbery by intimidation in this incident.
• Nov. 16: At about 9:11 p.m., Pizza Hut at 2526 Georgetown Drive was robbed. Mr. Johnson was charged with robbery by intimidation in this incident.
• Nov. 22: At about 5:28 p.m, GNC at 596 Bobby Jones Expressway was robbed. Mr. Johnson was charged in this incident with robbery by intimidation.
• Nov. 28: At about 6:07 p.m., Hancock Fabric Store at 3112 Washington Road was robbed. Mr. Johnson was charged with robbery by intimidation in this incident.

Authorities Call ICE After Immigrant's 4th Arrest

Aiken County authorities have notified the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the arrest of 22-year-old Jorge Ortiz for a probation violation.

Where has ICE been for the last three arrests? Authorities have previously accused the immigrant of committing forgery in North Augusta (2005), drunk driving in North Augusta (2006) and stealing credit cards in Aiken (2007). He also has previous charges of credit card fraud and a second drunk driving offense in June 2007.

What does it take for authorities to deport someone these days? Do they have to kill somebody in a drunk driving accident? We're just asking.

Highs & Lows

When a North Augusta woman was arrested Tuesday morning, she didn't seem as happy as she did during her 2003 arrest (bottom mugshot).

Tiffany Vaughn, 27, had to be restrained in the jail following her arrest by Aiken public safety officers for marijuana possession. Her Tuesday mugshot (top) shows her near tears as she is held in place by the restraint device.

Without commenting on Tiffany's situation, Aiken County jail officials told us that the restraint device can be used when detainees are on suicide or medial watch, or it can be used when a person is a threat to others.

Still, Tiffany's mood seems vastly different from her 2003 arrest for marijuana possession and shoplifting, when she appears on cloud nine. (She was also busted in 2002 for DUI, but that mugshot looks pretty normal.)

If she's depressed, we hope she gets the attention she needs (and stays off the weed).

Arrested: Grovetown Man Texts Picture of Genitalia to Stranger

A Grovetown was arrested on an obscenity charge after he sent a picture of his genitalia to a stranger over his phone, according to Columbia County authorities.

Sean Chance, 38, of Whiskey Road, Grovetown, was charged with distributing obscene material depicting nudity or sexual content.

A Grovetown woman called Columbia County authorities after she received an obscene picture message on her cell phone from an unknown person in September. The 49-year-old woman said she was unfamiliar with the telephone number and didn’t know who might have sent it.

Authorities investigated the picture and charged Mr. Chance last week with the offense. Capt. Steve Morris said the woman did not know Mr. Chance and it is possible he sent it to the woman by mistake. But the charges were warranted, he said.

“He sent it. She received it. It was unwanted. It was obscene. We charged accordingly,” Capt. Morris said.

Out-of-Towner

Aiken County authorities busted this Columbia (S.C.) man for drunk driving over the weekend on Aiken County roadways.

Corey Law, 21, was arrested early Sunday for DUI and booked into the Aiken County Detention Center.

It's not clear why he's wearing so much make-up. Jail officials were not sure either when we called this morning.

We imagine his cellmates were wondering about the makeup, too.

Injured Detainees in Aiken County Jail, Part 3

We thought we might see a break between detainees who looked more like hospital patients than criminal suspects in the Aiken County Jail.

Apparently not.

Michael Kelsey, 39, of North Augusta, was arrested this afternoon for driving under suspension and driving left of center, a traffic offense suggesting he was in a car accident. That would explain the mugshot that shows him with bandages covering much of his face.

To see what he actually looked like before his accident, look at the bottom mugshot, taken in April when he was also busted for driving under suspension.

Mr. Kelsey is a repeat offender who's been in the Aiken County Jail SEVEN times since 2000 for a load of charges, including marijuana possession, violation of liquor law, DUI, open container, trespassing, public drunk, filing a false report, possession of drug paraphernalia, giving false information to police and failure to pay child support.

Been Here Before

In the last 48 hours, two men have been arrested in Aiken County for their second DUI.

John Calhoun, 37, of North Augusta (top), was pulled over Friday afternoon by an officer with North Augusta Public Safety and found to be driving under the influence for the second time.

Coy Spoon, 34, of Aiken (bottom), was stopped by the South Carolina Highway Patrol early Saturday morning and busted for drunk driving - second offense.

Seems like their first DUI arrest would have taught them a lesson.