A former Richmond County deputy jailer accused of bringing drugs to inmates and should now be able to get out of jail.
Jaquan German, 24, was granted bond nearly two weeks ago, but a second bond hearing, this one on a charge of bribery, was needed before the former deputy jailer could be released.
The only problem was having the second hearing. Richmond County Assistant District Attorney Larry Smith didn’t have a copy of a warrant charging German with bribery.
Smith told Superior Court Chief Judge Daniel J. Craig that he couldn’t get any information about the new bribery charge but would consent to folding that case into the charges for which German was granted a $75,000 for: violation of oath by a public officer and illegal gang activity.
German appeared Friday, Jan. 14 via video conference for his bond hearing on the bribery charge.
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In December, German and four other deputies were fired and charged with the felony offense of violation of oath. The charged were brought after an internal Richmond County Sheriff’s Department investigation of contraband being brought into the jail for certain inmates. German was also charged with the gang activity crime for allegedly smuggling items into the jail for members of the Loyalty Over Everything gang.
On Dec. 31, German was granted the $75,000 bond, but before he could be released, the new charge of bribery was lodged against him, said defense attorney Grant Usry. German has been held in jail since Dec. 13.
Usry was able to obtain a copy of the bribery warrant Friday morning. The warrant, he and the prosecutor agreed, stated the same allegation that formed basis for the charges German already faced – taking money or something of value to bring drugs into the jail for inmates.
The judge agreed to allow the bribery charge to fold into the original case against German, meaning he would not have to post any additional bond.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter with The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
