GRAY, Ga. — Former Jones County Coroner Jerry Bridges has pleaded guilty to mishandling money for prepaid funerals or burial expenses.
In court Thursday, Bridges admitted to taking that money and using it for other purposes.
He pleaded guilty to 43 fraud-related counts before Judge Brenda Trammell. Each count represents a person or family that Bridges took $750 to $18,000 from during his time as a funeral home and cemetery owner.
The charges included 10 misdemeanors and 33 felonies that involved higher dollar amounts for theft by conversion.
Bridges' funeral home was sold several years ago, but he continued to own and operate Cedar Ridge Cemetery in Gray.
For nearly two decades, Bridges refused to answer complaints and threats from state regulators and even judges.
Despite those threats the state allowed Bridges to keep operating and taking tens of thousands of dollars from unsuspecting families.
After a 13WMAZ investigation, the Georgia Secretary of State's Office announced a reorganization aimed at strengthening funeral industry oversight.
An office spokesperson said no one case motivated the review that led to the change, but said they were "aware of the Jones County coroner" situation.
A sentencing hearing for Bridges is now scheduled for December 10.
Investigators are still holding out hope they may find a way to compensate the victims, but so far that hasn’t happened.
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