The mayor of Thomson, Georgia, was just arrested for buying and supplying alcohol for inmates in a prison. Allegedly, he would put bottles of gin in a ditch near where the inmates worked.
Mayor Benjamin “Benji” Cranford, 52, found himself arrested on August 14 when he was charged with providing prohibited items to an inmate and criminal attempt to commit multiple felonies.
The Crime
Cranford purchased the liquor at Rimpy’s store, where he would buy a 750-milliliter bottle of Seagram’s Extra Dry Gin.
He would then place the bottle in a ditch near Cobbham Road, “in the path of” the inmate’s work assignment. The information was obtained by the August 14 indictment.
How the Crime Was Discovered
The Thomson Police Department requested that Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) conduct an investigation in June after an allegation was shared that Cranford had provided alcohol to an “inmate work detail.” Where the information first came from is unknown.
The arrest came soon after as the allegations were found some have substantial merit.
Cranford Arrested
After an arrest warrant was issued for the mayor on August 14, the case was handed over to a grand jury.
GBI officers arrested Cranford at the Thomson City Administration Office and officially booked him into the McDuffie County Jail on the same day. He already posted the $5,000 bond by 6pm that evening and was released.
Cranford Makes a Statement
Just days after the arrest, Cranford spoke to the press and said that he intends on continuing to serve the city as mayor.
He also denies the claims made in the indictment: “I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Denying Claims
Cranford has decided to double down and completely deny the claims against him.
“I don’t know no prisoner in Jefferson County. Didn’t know of no detail that day. That was months and months ago. I don’t even remember that day. Who remembers what they doing every day?” he told the outlet.
A Statement from the City
A city spokesperson talked to the Associated Press, “As we understand the charges in this case are not related to Mr. Cranford’s duties as an elected official, we do not have a comment.”
It appears that an active investigation is underway to understand the full extent of the wrongdoing.
Personal Connection
It’s likely that if Cranford really was supplying alcohol to inmates, he has some sort of personal connection.
Personal favors are not uncommon in politics. However, it is worrisome to think that a city mayor has some sort of nefarious connection to a city jail inmate.
Dirty Dealings
Another nefarious reason for a mayor supplying alcohol to inmates is some underhanded dealings that he has with prisoners.
There could be any number of favors that a person might need from inmates. However, almost all of them would involve something illegal.
The Investigation Continues
For now, the investigation will continue to discover the real reason behind the alcohol in the ditch.
Although Mayor Cranford has denied all of the allegations, the GBI will likely uncover all of the information behind the connection of Cranford and the inmates in question.
Possible Punishment
Some of the punishments that Cranford could face are a suspension from office until all charges are resolved.
As well, if a panel recommends to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp that the charges hurt his ability to perform as mayor, Cranford could be removed permanently.
Mayor Cranford
Last year, Mayor Cranford won the election by beating a 12-year incumbent, Kenneth Usry.
Before he held office, Cranford worked as a paving contractor. He also settled a lawsuit that alleged he tried to hide his assets from a bonding company that he had outstanding debts with.
