Local News
"Traveler case" now in Whitfield
A man authorities have referred to as a “traveler case” for alleged crimes in more than one county has been delivered to the Whitfield County Jail from Catoosa County and will face several child sex and drug charges in Superior Court here.
Paul Timothy Needham, 41, of 3631 Susan Lane in Tunnel Hill, was booked into the jail on Tuesday on nine counts of child molestation/aggravated child molestation, two counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes, aggravated sexual battery, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, computer pornography, obscene Internet contact with a child and criminal attempt to commit a misdemeanor.
Maj. John Gibson with the sheriff’s office said that although Catoosa County released Needham to be arraigned here, he still must face similar charges there.
Needham’s arrest in September of 2008 was the result of an investigation by the Innocent Images Task Force, which targets child sexual exploitation and child pornography on the Internet.
“It was brought to the task force’s attention of an inappropriate relationship (between Needham and the alleged victim),” said John Parrish, agent in charge of the Dalton FBI office, at the time of the arrest. “We assumed the victim’s identity and chats were had between him and the task force and he agreed to meet and was arrested.”
District Attorney Kermit McManus said the case will possibly go on the trial calendar after arraignment.
“He could go back to Catoosa County after that,” he said. “It would depend on who’s on the faster track.”
A clerk of court spokeswoman said Needham is scheduled to be arraigned in Whitfield County on Nov. 16.
Officers with the Dalton Police Department, the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Fort Oglethorpe Police Department participate in the task force.
- Local News
-
-
Derby time
Owen Halman, 8, of Dalton, lines up his car “Fire Bullet” before a race during the Boy and Cub Scouts grand championship Pinewood Derby Saturday at First Presbyterian Church.
-
Helpin’ and paintin’
With his bracket busted and interest in the men’s college basketball tournament waning, Pierce Montgomery spent Saturday re-painting the Dalton home of a Vietnam veteran who couldn’t do the work himself.
-
DSC officials explain possible cuts
Dalton State College officials know the state budget cuts they planned for almost a month ago won’t be as deep as expected. What they don’t know is exactly which of the proposed cuts they’ll have to implement.
-
Higher education funding is at center of debate
More than 4,000 students, including several at Dalton State College, have banded together to push back against proposed state cuts to higher education funding.
-
Local officials view possible cuts at college with concern
Dalton State College plays a big part in plans by local leaders to grow and diversify the area’s economy, so they are viewing proposed cuts to the college with some concern.
-
Young couple awaits Habitat for Humanity home
Luis Sanchez knows how the Gutierrez family feels as they watch their house being built by the Dalton-Whitfield Habitat For Humanity.
-
Superintendent decision coming Monday night
The Richland 2 school board in Columbia, S.C., has chosen a superintendent — Whitfield County Schools superintendent Katie Brochu was one of three finalists — but won’t publicly say who it is until Monday, according to The State newspaper.
-
Area arrests for March 21
Recent arrests from the Whitfield and Murray County jail reports.
-
Marilyn Helms: Companies vary on correcting products, services
In the first half of my column on my Dalton State College quality management systems class quality “problems” project, I discussed the situations that companies did not resolve.
-
“Do You Remember?” cast announced
Members of Dalton Dance Company will perform in Dalton Arts Project’s “Do You Remember?” spring concert — a look back at the music they grew up with as well as the music enjoyed by previous generations of teenagers (now parents and grandparents).
- More Local News Headlines
-
