Thomson Mayor Benjamin “Benji” Cary Cranford, 52, was indicted and arrested on felony charges of furnishing prohibited items to inmates and attempt to commit a felony. The charges allege that he illegally stashed a bottle of gin in a ditch for a state prison work crew to access. The incident occurred on June 3 when Cranford purchased a bottle of Seagram’s Extra Dry Gin and left it in a ditch along Cobbham Road in Thomson, Georgia, where a work crew of state prisoners from the Jefferson County Correctional Institution would find it. Thomson Police asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate the allegations, leading to Cranford’s arrest.
Cranford was taken into custody at Thomson City Hall following a city council meeting and was booked into the McDuffie County Jail. He was released on $5,000 bail. The charges do not appear to be directly related to Cranford’s duties as an elected official, according to a city spokesperson who declined to comment further. Cranford could potentially face suspension from office until the charges are resolved if a panel recommends to Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp that the charges could hinder Cranford’s ability to serve as mayor. This is not the first time that officials in Georgia have been suspended due to felony charges that were unrelated to their office.
The incident involving Cranford providing alcohol to inmates is not the only legal issue he has faced recently. Earlier this month, Cranford settled a lawsuit that had been filed against him months before he ran for office. The lawsuit accused him of attempting to hide assets from a bonding company that was stepping in to pay some of his company’s debts amid financial troubles. Cranford, a former paving contractor, had been accused of trying to ensure that large-scale projects undertaken by his company would be completed despite financial difficulties.
Cranford became mayor earlier this year after defeating incumbent Kenneth Usry in the election last year. His arrest has raised questions about his ability to continue serving as mayor and has caused concern among city officials and residents. The case has received media attention, with local news stations reporting on the allegations against Cranford. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to Cranford’s arrest, and the case will now proceed through the legal system as Cranford faces the felony charges brought against him.
In summary, Thomson Mayor Benjamin “Benji” Cary Cranford is facing felony charges for allegedly providing alcohol to inmates by stashing a bottle of gin in a ditch. The charges do not appear to be directly related to his duties as an elected official. Cranford was arrested and released on bail, and the case will now proceed through the legal system. The incident has raised questions about Cranford’s ability to continue serving as mayor and has garnered media attention.
