Update: More arrested in auto theft ring that allegedly included Polk officers
by thepolkfishwrap.com
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Agents from the GBI and the Polk County Police Department conducted an investigation at Haney s Body Shop, 500 Piedmont Hwy.
Agents from the GBI and the Polk County Police Department conducted an investigation at Haney's Body Shop, 500 Piedmont Hwy.
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Additional arrests were made late Tuesday and Wednesday as a result of an ongoing investigation into a stolen vehicle enterprise based in Polk County.

Polk County Police Chief Kenny Dodd said more than 30 people now face charges in connection with the operation.

Among those arrested in the initial roundup of eight were two former Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies along with a Polk County Police Department officer in what the Georgia Bureau of Investigation calls a stolen vehicle ring.

The Northwest Georgia Criminal Enterprise Task Force, led by the FBI, has been investigating the criminal enterprise for more than a year.

The latest arrests on warrants announced Wednesday include:

Richard Gerald Haney, 63, of 123 Frances Drive, Cedartown, arrested Tuesday on a charge of theft by receiving stolen property. He was released on a property bond early Wednesday afternoon, only to be rebooked at the Polk County Jail by 4 p.m.

The new charge is operating a chop shop, according to Polk County Jail docket reports.

Haney’s son, Richard Todd Haney, 40, of 25 Mountain View Drive, Cedar­town, was arrested Wednesday, and police say he faces charges of possession of a vehicle with an altered identification number.

Joey David Hughes, 35, of 36 Kimwood Drive, Cedar­town, was arrested and charged with operating a chop shop and theft by receiving stolen property. He was released on a property bond.

According to task force officials, those arrested in Polk and Floyd counties were involved in the trafficking of stolen autos and altering vehicle identification numbers in order to resell stolen cars and trucks for large profits.

The Northwest Georgia Criminal Enterprise Task Force includes officials from the GBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Polk County Police Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, Cartersville Police Department and Floyd County Police Department.

Story posted Oct. 6

Two former Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies along with a Polk County Police Department officer were among several people arrested in what the Georgia Bureau of Investigation calls a stolen vehicle ring based in Polk County.

The Northwest Georgia Criminal Enterprise Task Force, led by the FBI, has been investigating the criminal enterprise for more than a year.

According to task force officials, the eight arrested in Polk and Floyd counties Tuesday were involved in the trafficking of stolen autos and altering vehicle identification numbers in order to resell stolen cars and trucks for large profits. Current and former officers helped the enterprise by providing “law enforcement-sensitive information to individuals involved,” according to the GBI.

The investigation culminated Tuesday with the execution of numerous search warrants and arrest warrants issued by the Polk County Superior Court and through U.S. District Court.

Mark Sparks, a Polk County police officer, was arrested and charged with violation of oath of office, obstruction and theft by receiving (motor vehicle).

Former deputies arrested were Kenneth Gravett and Michael Robinson.

Gravett was charged with insurance fraud, and Robinson was charged by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms with Federal weapons violations.

Also arrested were:

Marvin Cheatwood, charged with theft by receiving stolen property (motor vehicle); Bradley Miller, charged with two counts of theft by receiving stolen property (motor vehicle) and altering a vehicle identification number; John Summerville Sr., charged with two counts of sale and distribution of a schedule 2 drug, operating a chop shop, theft by receiving (motor vehicle) and forgery in the second degree; and Margie Fields and Alan Camp, both charged with altering a vehicle identification number and operating a chop shop.

The investigation is still ongoing with additional charges possible, according to the GBI.

The Northwest Georgia Criminal Enterprise Task Force includes officials from the GBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Polk County Police Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, Cartersville Police Department and Floyd County Police Department.

Other agencies participating in Tuesday’s operation included the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force, U.S. Secret Service, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, National Insurance Crime Bureau, Cherokee County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, Calhoun Police Department, Haralson-Paulding Drug Task Force and Haralson County Fire Investigations Unit.

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comments (33)
« nickachel wrote on Monday, Oct 19 at 08:02 PM »
god bless you johnny i have no you all my life and have not one bad thing to say about you are your family me and my family will pray for yall

p.s much love nickachel proctor cash
« anonymous wrote on Thursday, Oct 15 at 11:34 PM »
It sounds like they are really kind and caring..Kind and caring for other people's vehicles and belongings! took care of them so good, treated them like there own!
« FRIENDFOREVER wrote on Thursday, Oct 15 at 04:10 PM »
I KNOW ALOT OF THE SUMMERVILLE AND I CAN SAY THEIR VERY GOOD PEOPLE,MY FAMILY WENT TO SUMMERVILLE JUCK YARD ALOT FOR THINGS,AND THEY WHERE ALWAYS FRIENDLY,KIND&CARING.EVERYONE MAKES MISSTAKES BUT THEY ALSO LEARN FROM IT.MY GRANNY LIVED THE THE STREET FROM SUMMER SHE WAS A HAYES,AND I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO SHUT UP ON THE SUMMERVILLES,THEIR GREAT PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AND TO THE SUMMERVILLES MY HEART IS WITH YOU AND I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST AND I'M SORRY ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE SAY,BUT DON'T LISTEN TO THEM AND KEEP YOUR HEAD HIGH.GOD BLESS WITH.YOUR FRIEND
« zlaab wrote on Wednesday, Oct 14 at 12:12 PM »
I am one of those people who pay attention to the person rather than their party, I get the news from a variety of sources from both sides to form my own opinion based on my own personal experiences and I grew up in a time where you were responsible for your own actions and even took the punishment if you ended up making a bad choice. So I am most definitely a radical. In every sense of the word, because in this day and age it is always someone else's fault and that is just not normal to me. The type of behavior which led to this article is shameful in itself but the posts that I have read on here have saddened me even more. Because everyone in town knew what was going on and no one did anything to stop it but have no problem with jumping to their defense to save their own name. Truly sad.
« tedb3rd wrote on Tuesday, Oct 13 at 01:19 PM »
OMG, Zlaab.... You said the most evil thing!! "Personal responsibility" The kryptonite on losers and liberals! Shame on you!

I mean, heaven FORBID somebody be responsible for their own actions and decisions. How wrong!

I bet your one of those republican fox-news-watcher radicals huh?
« zlaab wrote on Monday, Oct 12 at 10:59 PM »
You people are absolutely hilarious. Personal responsibility is the key. I have no doubt that many of you jumping to defend knew what was going on but looked the other way. Because lets face it all of you jumping to defend your families honor can't all be that stupid. Criminals can seem like good people, they are in the news everyday, but when it comes down to making the right decision and the wrong decisions they just think their needs are more important than those of others. It has nothing to do with judgement but the work of honest cops, that has finally ended something that has gone on way to long.
« johndeer wrote on Monday, Oct 12 at 12:52 AM »
Hope they get what they deserve! Think about all the grief and frustration they have caused for families over the many years, stealing thousands and thousands of dollars from people! Carma, Carma, Carma!!!!!!!!!!!
« anonymous07 wrote on Saturday, Oct 10 at 01:28 AM »
Every person and every family has skeletons in their closets, it just isn't every day that they are made public.. so who are we to judge?
« anonymous07 wrote on Saturday, Oct 10 at 01:17 AM »
I have read and am very disappointed by many of these posts. I was raised in the Cedartown (Polk County area). I agree with the post from one of the sites that says, “We all have a freedom of speech.” You are right, you do have a right to freedom of speech, HOWEVER, as an adult, or member of the Polk/Floyd County community you should take a stand and do whats right and protect the families and friends of these people. I understand where the statement, “they weren't thinking about the children or families involved when they did this..etc,” came from.. however once again.. it is our jobs as members of this community to do what is right, take the stand, and bring this community back together. It's insane at the amount of bashing of these men and officers have received; these people have FAMILIES, some of which have children. You speak so much of the “wrong-doing” that they have done in our community, yet your slander on these men and officers doesn't make our community look any better. I believe that if you've done the crime, you should pay the time.. however – these men are innocent until proven guilty. I also would like to ask many of you this question, “before you knew the involvement of these people, what was your opinion of them one week ago when none of this was known public?”, because I guarantee that many of you never would have said these horrible things. It is also a shame to me that you people say, “I've known this was going on for years, I can't believe they just now got them.. they deserve what is coming for them.. etc,” this makes you all wonderful outstanding parts of our community as well, huh? WRONG!! You speak of how our community has fallen apart, yet you have obviously taken NO steps of getting this problem solved before.. ! Everyone has to do their part in attempting to hold this community together, and you didn't do so well if you knew about it and never took the next step. As for the hiring process for the officers of Polk County.. NO ONE is perfect and there is no way to see that these men will make huge mistakes before they ever start their duty as an officer; just because there have been a few bad apples lately, doesn't mean that none of them are worthy of our support and trust as members of the community. Another point that I would like to bring up is, how everyone is saying .. “these men are horrible people, they don't deserve to be on our streets, put them away,” yet, I think we are all forgetting the horrible people that roam our streets everyday... the people that I am speaking in reference to are the Sex Offenders. These people roam your streets everyday and can possibly be threats to our communities again, yet I feel that a bigger deal is being made of the charges of these men. Once again, I am in NO way supporting what these men have “done” or been accused of, however, these men are innocent until proven guilty. Also, just for the record.. I am not a relative or close friend to any of the accused party.. however, I am a member of this community that believes we need to take the stand for our community!! Please help do your part in bringing this community back together, thank you!

“Be ye not the first to cast a stone”

“Judge not and thou shalt not be judged”

*it seems a lot of people have forgotten the written words of God*

« anonymous wrote on Friday, Oct 09 at 08:16 AM »
Gills- My Uncle is a big teddy bear to every one in his family and to the one's he loves. Now as far as giving someone the shirt off his back, he probably would but know one has said that. People just like you have posted your comments on here about every one involved in this. Well as a Family we have the right to stand up for our Uncle regardless of what people might think. Every one in that area needs to realize we as Summerville's have stood together for many years and we will continue for many to come. Let's not forget that all of these people have been charged with crimes but none of them have been convicted.
« gills wrote on Thursday, Oct 08 at 08:40 PM »
yes this is GILLS..no-one said j summerville was a bad person or any of the family but what is,is...you talk about how he would give you the shirt off his back and he's a big tedy bear and all that ,has nothing to do with ripping people off or breaking the law does it?sure we all make mistakes @times and he GOT CAUGHT,he's not being talked about no more than the rest...
« Ha!That'sWhaChaGet wrote on Thursday, Oct 08 at 01:52 PM »
Bravo men! Bravo! I feel sorry for none of these characters involved in this crime. I only feel sorry for the people that made an honest living and purchased these cars before they were stolen from them. As for one of these guys that was arrested - that's wha cha get buddy! He went through life being fake to people's faces and would look down on them for not being physically fit or because they may make bad choices in their life. He did no wrong he would tell me. Well partner, last time I checked, "operating a chop shop and theft by receiving stolen property" IS in fact doing wrong. I won't even get into the other wrong stuff he did/does. So keep on telling yourself and others that lil lie about you doing no wrong. We know the truth don't we. "A tiger never looses his stripes"
« BillyRay-StoneCold wrote on Thursday, Oct 08 at 01:51 PM »
I have had the privalige to meetting and being apart of the Summerville's family. I have been dating Johnny's niece for several years and I have always been treated like family. Johnny Summerville has treated me better than some of my own family has treated me. If you have not met him then don't judge him, he is a very good hearted man just like many other Summerville's.

I have had the pleasures of attending many events with Johnny and his family and I can honestly say they all pitch in on any event to make sure every one is happy and laughing and having a good time. What more could you ask of a family like this. I see for myself that this family firmly believes in loving each other and every one that might cross their path. To the whole Summerville family THANK YOU for excepting me into your family. (Stone Cold)
« pshepard-summerville wrote on Thursday, Oct 08 at 01:22 PM »
Saved1- You are so correct about the history of the area. I have been working on our Family History and learned alot I did not know about such as cotton fields, railroads, mining, confed war and farming. It helped me understand why the older generation of my family was so family absorbed. They taught us many values along the way that I did not realize until later in life. I am very proud of what has been handed down to me from my Uncles, Aunts, Grd Parents and my Mother. I know that this is why my family has held strongly together for so many years.
« DSummerville wrote on Thursday, Oct 08 at 01:04 PM »
I am Johnny Summerville's sister and I have wore the name Summerville very PROUDLY all my life. My brother has the heart the size of Stone Mountain as so many of you from our home town know. Many of you have known my family for many, many years from our Grand parents to our children and not a whole lot of bad can be said about our Family. We as Summerville's have made mistakes just like other family's have done. My brother, myself, and many others of our family will still wear the Summerville name proudly I'm sure of. I love my brother dearly just like so many in my family, he is very special to so many and more so to me. I would just like for every one to know that God looks on the inside where man looks on the outside, and he know's that my brother is a great man. Johnny I love you very much.
« saved1 wrote on Thursday, Oct 08 at 12:47 PM »
As for the state of Georgia please study your history.Many of the counties you are discussing were not original.A vast majority was originally indian property.Gold was found thus politicians decided to steal land from them for greed of getting the gold.Women of all races were sold at that time.Blacks and indians were used as slaves,poor people have always been taken advantage of.Mexicans were broght in 3 differnt times to do work here in the US then sent home with nothing.Not their homes they purchsed etc...Germans also worked on the railroad right in Rockmart.So yes alot of things have gone on for awhile in the name of GREED.Even now most mortgages have a place that says if you find precious minerals more or less you have to report it and the state sure gets their portion and then some.This is a wonderful state and I am from Georgia.The above is a very breif sumation of course.My point was not in pointing out this is the bible belt.It was to point out that people are so quick to judge others but can not look at themselves or bother to check history in anything.Instead whatever media hype is available people go for.If people could ever get the facts straight,stand together as a people then and only then can things change.There has always been bad police,politicians and people.For example in Atlanta they have bad neighborhoods.The people finally came together started a watch ,looking out for one another and crime is now going down in those areas.Lets see you have 20 houses on a street one is bad .Go figure if the other 19 are watching and 1 person from each complains everyday I bet something would get done.Take up a neighborhood petition.Read what laws get passed and what gets tacked on.People would rather play the blame game.There is good and bad in every state last I noticed.Many things get generated by the media and our politicians as far as where things get built etc...For your info there are also many gangs operating in several counties now.A lot of drugs are ran from dekalb etc... though a lot of our rural towns.They can set up a meth lab anywhere.It is a extreme problem.Money motivates people,people today judge one another by what you have.Our young generation has been turned into spolied brats by the parents.Pay attention to the cell phones,game systems,ipods,clothes.I am saying you want things better start in your own home.Maybe these people did wrong.Only they know why.Their whole families are not bad for what a few did.Just because they have been charged you do not know the total of the story only they do.Only they know if they are guilty so you should not judge without knowing all the facts.
« pshepard-summerville wrote on Thursday, Oct 08 at 11:40 AM »
Voter- I am not a Mr but a Mrs. Summerville, Thank you for correcting your statement I as a person appreciate that. I am not trying to stress the point of the Bible Belt. I am trying to stress the point that everyone has problem's in their Family's and it is not our place as people to judge and criticize any one. NCR is accepting apps for the Northside location, Kia is not that far from Cedartown. I drive an hour to work and an hour back home every day. You just have to do what you got to do. There is no excuse for committing crimes at all just as there is no excuse for people to judge. There is nothing wrong for using terms that has been well forgotten by so many. We as a Family were not raised to judge any one because you do not know how the next person is going to judge you. I believe that all Family's involved in this matter have the right to be respected as a family. It is not my place to say anything about any of the other Family's involved because it is all devistateing, but I know as a member of the Summerville family I do have to stand up for what is right. Every one has opinions and people like to voice good or bad one's at the weakest moment's in life as we all know. I can honestly say that as a Family in whole we stand by each other thru good or bad and that says alot about us as a Family. Voter thank you for replying maybe you and I have a better understanding of one another. The counties you refer to has never had a fast growing rate at all. It really doesn't have anything to do with crime because people flock to where ever growth is and the crime rate does go up as we all know. The whole upper side of Ga does need more growth all the way around this is true, I do not disagree with you on that at all but can the people in these areas handle the problems that come's along with growth.
« Voter wrote on Thursday, Oct 08 at 10:59 AM »
Mr. Summerville - I should have been more specific and said Polk, Bartow, Floyd, Walker, Chatooga and Gordon County are not attracting industries.

NCR in Columbus is not going to do us up here a bit of good, neither is KIA.



Committing crimes and saying nobody is perfect and only Lord will judge you is not smart even if you are in the middle of the Bible Belt. Using the Bible Belt as an excuse for the way things are here is even dumber.

« Book'em wrote on Thursday, Oct 08 at 10:14 AM »
Crimes are committed everyday and solved by good officers with all law enforcement agencies in Polk County that are never posted in the news, but anytime an officer violates the law it is posted on every news site. As an officer that only wants to live by the oath I have taken and to truly protect the citizens and their property this is disturbing that officers violate the laws they are suppose to enforce. The comment anonymous made is an ignorant comment.
« pshepard-summerville wrote on Thursday, Oct 08 at 10:06 AM »
Good morning to all that has reviewed these comment's. I have logged in several times for the last 48 hours to see response's from people on the subject at hand.

Good_Summerville- I don't know which cousin you are but Thank You.

gillls- Yes the older hands have been in the mist of things for decades all the way back to the Kennedy's and the Barnes. It has not just been in your area trust me. I assume some of your family members also deserve to get what is coming to them because NO ONE is perfect. You do not have the right to judge my Family or anyone else.

Voter- This is for you. You must not leave that area to often. I can tell this by your knowledge of the Social World growing around you and you can not even see it. Kia built a plant not for from you and NCR is moving their headquarters from Dayton, Ohio to here and BIO Tech is the main producer of cancer medication and they just broke ground an hour away from you to build a plant to employ 500 people paying double of minimum wage. Please before you get on here to criticize the state of Georgia get your facts straight. Georgia is not the only state that is struggeling, use your head. Georgia has and always will be the BIBLE BELT of the South and there is nothing that can change that. So who are you to judge anyone and more less the whole state.

To everyone else- Yes there is GOOD OFFICERS working to protect us every day and we should not judge them for what the challenged ones have done.