Local News
Sex offender gets prison time, banishment
A man who failed to register as a sex offender pleaded guilty in Whitfield County Superior Court on Friday and received a two-year prison sentence plus banishment from the Whitfield-Murray judicial circuit.
Terry Franklin Gentry, 55, of 1116 Willowdale Road in Dalton, actually received a 20-year sentence from Judge William Boyett, but 18 years are to be served on probation. Assistant district attorney Bert Poston said Gentry had been on probation from another county for nine years on a prior charge.
Public defender Scott Ray represented Gentry and was asked if he believes the sentence was fair.
“I think so, and believe we took the right route,” he said. “With a child it’s always a risk (going to trial), because you never know what a jury will do. It was a 10- to 30-year sentence and we got it down to two years, so I feel like he made the right move (to plead guilty).
“He told me he has cancer — and I have not documented this — and he has concerns about that. He actually has a great attitude and is very bright. He has actually written some of his own motions.”
A clerk at Bartow County Superior Court said Gentry was charged with child molestation there in 1995 and was put on probation when the case came to court in 1997. He failed to register in Whitfield County in August of 2007.
Also in Superior Court:
• Rolando Domingo-Chun, 28, of 400 Wrinkle St. in Dalton, pleaded guilty to child molestation and was sentenced to 20 years, with five in prison and 15 on probation. Before handing down the sentence, Boyett said Domingo-Chun was charged with “committing an immoral and indecent act on a child under the age of 16.”
Domingo-Chun’s attorney, Vincent Anderson, said sentencing “may be a moot point” since Domingo-Chun had signed a “voluntary departure” with an immigration judge.
“It depends on the seriousness of the crime as to whether he will serve the sentence and be deported, or be deported before he can serve the sentence,” Anderson said.
• Christopher Todd Rubush, 35, of 1003 Rivermill Circle in Roswell, was given a $45,000 bond by Judge Robert Adams, with conditions specific to alleged sex offenders. Rubush was charged with two counts of child molestation, one count of aggravated sodomy and one count of sexual exploitation of a child after having allegedly engaged in a series of chats on the Internet with agents of the Northwest Georgia Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Rubush remained in the Whitfield County Jail Friday afternoon, a spokesman said.
• A woman charged with prostitution, kidnapping and robbery in April pleaded guilty to the robbery charge in Superior Court on Oct. 16 and received a nine-year prison sentence.
Edie Jean Wells, 34, of 117 N. Midway Drive in Tunnel Hill, was also charged with financial transaction card fraud, identity theft and failure to appear on past drug charges. Wells and two other men were alleged to have forced a man to have sex with her for money, then when he claimed to have no cash, held him until his paycheck hit the bank so they could use his ATM card.
Adams accepted Wells’ plea, said Poston. Public defender Melisa Arcila represented Wells and did not immediately return a phone call on Friday.
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Deal touts endorsement by Thomas in Dalton visit
Nathan Deal shakes hands with Dr. Don Thomas Friday at Peacock Alley. Matt Hamilton/The Daily Citizen
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