Woman claimed to be engaged to ex-Warner Robins councilman Williams

WARNER ROBINS -- A woman at the center of the most recent arrest of former Warner Robins councilman John Williams told police she was engaged to him, according to an incident report.

Williams, who is facing federal extortion charges, was arrested Wednesday for violating the terms of his bond when he went to Florida without prior approval Feb. 1 to bail out Stormy Smith.

Smith, 32, told police on Feb. 18 that she and John Williams, 73, were engaged and showed them a ring, according to an incident report. Police had been called to a building at 405 Commercial Circle by Williams’ wife, Elna Williams, who accused Smith of stealing a car.

Smith denied stealing a car and told police Elna Williams, 70, had found out about the affair and threatened in text messages to kill her, the report states. Smith told police she was living at the building, John Williams’ former campaign headquarters, and that’s where the two would meet.

The report states police told Elna Williams there was no criminal matter, and she told the officer, “Yes there is because I’m fixing to kill her.”

Elna Williams was arrested for disorderly conduct.

The report states John Williams arrived at the scene and told police to arrest both women. The police said they did not have cause to arrest Smith. The report states John Williams attempted to interfere with placing his wife in the patrol car.

In an interview at their home Thursday, Elna Williams denied her husband was having an affair and said she had gone to the building to evict Smith.

“She’s 32 years old,” Elna Williams said. “There’s no way he was having an affair with her.”

She also said they have not been able to make the $2,000 bail for John Williams’ arrest for violating the terms of his bond on a federal extortion charge. Late Thursday evening, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Department website still listed him as being in jail.

“We haven’t been able to get anyone to loan us the money,” Elna Williams said, noting it was the first time he has spent a night in jail.

She said she is concerned because her husband’s health has not been good. He has had heart trouble and recently had gall bladder surgery, she said.

She said federal authorities wanted to arrest him March 8 but waited because doctors said he needed to have the gall bladder surgery.

John Williams admitted in a Wednesday hearing to traveling to Florida for one day to bail Smith out of jail. Elna Williams said they are good friends with Smith’s grandparents, who asked John Williams if he could help get her out of jail.

“He just forgot to call and ask permission, plain and simple,” Elna Williams said.

According to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Department website, Smith was arrested Jan. 26 on a charge of driving without a license and two out-of-county warrants. Williams paid $250 toward her bond, according to Wednesday’s hearing.

Online records indicate Smith has been arrested at least seven times since 2009 on charges that include disorderly conduct, DUI and child abuse.

Elna Williams said she still considers Smith a friend.

“I’m just trying to lead her to the Lord,” she said.

She said Smith is currently residing in Florida.

John Williams previously posted $10,000 bond on three charges related to the attempted purchase of a truck for the police department while he was a council member. He is alleged to have attempted to extort money from the dealer in exchange for arranging the purchase.

On Wednesday a federal magistrate judge set a new bond at $20,000 and said Williams must produce 10 percent of that to be released.

In his four years on city council, Williams had a series of bizarre run-ins with the law, including an incident in which he allegedly falsely reported his city-issued cell phone stolen and another in which he allegedly pulled a gun on a tenant in a house he owned. Also, he was accused of throwing food on someone during an argument at the Waffle House.

Williams maintained his innocence throughout all of the cases, but was soundly defeated in November in his run for re-election by former firefighter Mike Davis.

To contact writer Wayne Crenshaw, call 256-9725.

This story was originally published March 22, 2012 at 12:52 PM with the headline "Woman claimed to be engaged to ex-Warner Robins councilman Williams."