ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp suspended an east Georgia mayor Friday after he was arrested on charges of giving inmates on a work-detail alcohol.
Benjamin Cary Cranford, 52, was elected as mayor of Thomson in 2023 and took office in January 2024.
But roughly seven months after taking office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested Cranford on Aug. 14 after the Thomson Police Department asked the GBI to investigate claims that Cranford gave inmates contraband.
They claim Cranford gave alcohol to the inmate work detail on June 4, while working inside the city limits of Thomson.
When public officials are indicted on felony criminal charges, which for Cranford include furnishing prohibited items to inmates and one count of criminal attempt to commit a felony, Georgia Gov. Kemp appoints a "review commission" to look into the indictment.
After the review commission completed their report, they found on Oct. 1 that Cranford's indictment does relate to his work as mayor, negatively affects his ability to govern and it is in the best interest of the public to suspend Cranford.
Those are the questions the review commission assesses when determining whether a public official accused of a crime should be suspended.
Kemp issued an executive order on Thursday immediately suspending Cranford from office. He'll remain suspended until the case is resolved or until his term in office concludes, whichever is first.
