THOMSON, Ga. — A Georgia mayor was arrested for allegedly giving inmates alcohol, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Thomson Mayor Benjamin Cary Cranford, 52, was arrested on Wednesday after the GBI said he gave alcohol to an inmate work detail back in June.
Thomson, which is located roughly 30 miles outside of Augusta, has a population of just under 7,000 people.
The GBI says the inmate detail was working within the city limits of Thomson.
The press release from the GBI does not say much about why Cranford allegedly gave the alcohol to the inmate or to whom.
The Thomson Police Department asked the GBI to investigate on June 6, the GBI says.
Cranford was elected as mayor in November 2023, and according to the city website, his term lasts until 2025.
He was indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday. He was charged with giving inmates alcohol and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
According to the jail website, Cranford was released on a $5,000 bond.
We reached out to the McDuffie County Sheriff's Office to get Cranford's mugshot, but we are waiting to hear back.
Once the investigation is completed, the file will be given to the Toombs Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office.
We reached out to Cranford's city email address for comment.
If you have any information, you can contact the GBI at 706-595-2575.