GRAY, Ga. — The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office has put control of a Jones County cemetery in the hands of a court-ordered receiver.
Former Jones County Coroner Jerry Bridges was sentenced to 20 years in Dec. 2020 after being convicted in a funeral theft case involving more than three dozen fraud-related charges.
His sentencing came three weeks after he pleaded guilty to mishandling money set aside for prepaid funerals and burial expenses. He admitted to taking the money and using it for other purposes.
Each of the 43 counts in his plea represented a person of family that he took $750 to $18,000 from in his time as a funeral home operator and owner of Cedar Ridge Cemetery.
For nearly two decades, Bridges refused to answer complaints and threats from state regulators and even judges.
In addition to prison time, Bridges sentence includes more than $200,000 in restitution for victims, and he had to allow the state to seize and sell his cemetery.
Money from the sale of Cedar Ridge will go back into the perpetual care and pre-needs accounts.
The Jones County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday identified the receiver as Don Roof with Examination Resources, LLC in Atlanta.
According to the SEC, a court-appointed receiver protects property controlled by a person in a court case.
In this case, they are a neutral third-party custodian for the property whose powers consist of distributing assets to the people Bridges defrauded as defined by a court-approved plan.
Any questions or concerns about business involving the cemetery can now be directed to Roof at 404-301-3340.
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