On December 9, 2025 we arrested Jose Hernandez Gutierrez for Cruelty to Children in the First Degree after a student at Coffee Middle School reported concerns about a fellow student.

In recognition of the incredible work being done on behalf of citizens and victims in Coffee County, we are honored to present Satilla Advocacy Services with a check for $25,380.00. Their commitment to serving those in need is invaluable, and it is a privilege to support their mission.

On December 7, 2025, a series of incidents that began in the City of Douglas and stretched across several jurisdictions came to an end in Mitchell County.

On the evening of December 8, 2025 an isolated incident occurred in the Coffee County Jail involving an inmate that was found non responsive.

Tuesday night was a busy evening for Patrol Deputies, the Drug Interdiction and Criminal Enforcement Unit, known as DICE, and the Douglas Coffee Drug Unit, known as DCDU, as multiple arrests were made on charges ranging from warrant executions to drug and firearm offenses.

On the evening of December 1, 2025 Deputies were dispatched to a residence in the area of Kingwood Road in reference to a trespassing complaint. Upon arrival it became clear that the incident was a domestic situation that had escalated beyond control.

In Georgia, if the offense occurred on or after July 1, 2008 a registered sex offenders (per O.C.G.A. 42-1-15) loitering is prohibited at any child care facility, school, or areas where minors congregate (public & private parks, recreation facilities, playgrounds, skating rinks, neighborhood centers, gymnasium, public libraries, and public & community swimming pools).

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office was recently made aware of domestic incidents involving one of our detectives. Upon receiving this information, the employee was immediately placed on suspension. Sheriff Cole then notified the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and requested an independent investigation while an internal policy review was conducted. Following that review, the employee was terminated for violating agency policy.

On November 18, 2025, Cribbs was apprehended by the Waycross Police Department after Detectives with the CCSO DICE Unit were alerted to his possible whereabouts. The tip followed reports of a vehicle matching the description of one he had stolen late yesterday here in Douglas. Detectives quickly coordinated with partner agencies, ultimately leading to Cribbs’s capture without further incident.

Sheriff Fred Cole stated “This operation is exactly what our zero-tolerance, No-Nonsense policy looks like; it is a reflection of the Sheriff’s Office’s firm stance on drug activity and criminal behavior in the community.”

Deputies with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office conducted an extra zone patrol on Hickory Ridge Road in response to recent community concerns regarding suspected trespassing at a vacant property.

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance in locating James Dustin Cribbs, age 36. Cribbs is described as a white male, standing approximately 5’10”, weighing 165 pounds, with green eyes and brown hair.

During the operation, investigators arrested James Adrian Kennedy as he attempted to sell a vehicle not belonging to him. The Chevrolet Tahoe was recovered and returned to its rightful owner. Kennedy has been linked to three separate incidents involving stolen or attempted stolen vehicles.

Coffee Drug Unit (DCDU) executed a search warrant at the 500 North Apartment Complex in Douglas following a brief narcotics investigation.

During the operation, agents located methamphetamine and several unprescribed Roxicodone tablets in the possession of Carrie Wright. Wright informed investigators that the tablets were pressed fentanyl pills.

Prior to the execution of the search warrant, investigators had obtained an arrest warrant for Ellis Lowe in connection with the sale of methamphetamine. During the search, law enforcement officials recovered evidence that led to Lowe’s arrest for trafficking in methamphetamine.

Detectives and agents with the Douglas-Coffee Drug Unit (DCDU) began the investigation following numerous complaints from community members about illegal drug activity in the area. Once enough evidence was gathered, a search warrant was issued for a residence on Amber Hill Road.

On November 1, 2025, we officially launched the Drug Interdiction and Criminal Enforcement Unit (D.I.C.E.), a specialized team dedicated to proactive enforcement aimed at stopping criminal activity in transit along our county’s key transportation routes. Working hand-in-hand with the DCDU and our Criminal Investigative Unit, the D.I.C.E. Unit focuses on identifying and intercepting criminal operations before they reach our neighborhoods. Each agent has received specialized training to better detect and disrupt street-level crime in areas known for criminal activity.

Deputies were unable to locate Sosa that night. The following day, Sosa’s wife contacted the Sheriff’s Office to report the vehicle missing. On October 29, 2025, deputies made contact with Sosa at his residence, where he admitted to driving the vehicle and leaving the scene.

On October 30, 2025, deputies with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Interdiction Unit conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a traffic violation at the intersection of Maple Street and First Avenue in Douglas, Georgia. The vehicle was identified as being operated by Jesse Music.

Cameron Wright Never Formally Charged Following Misidentification.
The Sheriff’s Office does not control third-party crime sites, which often post information before formal charges are filed. These sites typically report the reason for detention or arrest, not the final charges.