Wanted men in Macon turn to Tillman for help

Some people wear their religion on their sleeve.

Dewayne Felton wears his on his face.

He has a small “T” tattooed near his left eye and a small “G” near his right eye.

“It stands for ‘trust God,’ ” the 20-year-old said.

Lately, Felton’s also been putting his trust in Al Tillman, the former president of Macon’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and he’s not alone.

Last week, Macon police sent out a news release saying they wanted to question Felton about the Aug. 13, 2011, slaying of 21-year-old Wendell “Dubb” Ford Jr., who was shot to death on Forest Avenue.

Rather than going directly to police himself, however, Felton did something Tuesday that’s becoming a trend of sorts for some young men in Macon.

He turned himself in to Tillman.

In 2009, Macon police spent months looking for Montago Mann. The 18-year-old was wanted for some burglaries, car break-ins and a shooting. He, too, turned himself in to Tillman.

This past September, 21-year-old Dontavis Jackson was riding in the trunk of a white Oldsmobile, on his way to Tillman, when police pulled over the vehicle and arrested him. Jackson was wanted in connection with an Aug. 24 shooting at a Westside High School bus stop.

Felton said he learned police were looking for him after opening his Facebook page last week.

“Someone posted a story from Macon.com and someone hit me up in my e-mail saying I’ve been on the news,” he said. “I checked (macon.com) and there was my picture.”

Felton said one of his friends told him to call Tillman. “He told me Mr. Tillman would be the guy to talk to, so I reached out and told him I’m innocent and I needed help.”

Tillman escorted Felton to Deputy Police Chief Mike Carswell’s office downtown, and then the three of them walked to the detective bureau.

“These guys could go straight to law enforcement,” Tillman said. “People don’t know that Chief Carswell is a minister and cares about them just as much as I do.

“My main concern (when they call) is to avoid law enforcement kicking open a door,” Tillman said. “When police kick in doors, other people can get hurt. ... Your family could get hurt,” he told Felton Monday as they sat in the NAACP office on Main Street. “And what are those tattoos on your face, man? What were you thinking about?”

“It was a mistake,” Felton responded, adding that he wished he didn’t have them.

Under his left eye, Felton also has a tattoo of a small number “34.” He said the three represents “C” -- the third letter in the alphabet -- and stands for Christ. The four represents “D,” the fourth letter.

“It means Christ Died,” he said. The small “GC” tattooed under his right eye, Felton said, stands for “God’s Child.”

When the young men call him, Tillman said his first question to them is “are you going to turn yourself in?” His next call is to police. “I always reach out to law enforcement so they don’t think I’m aiding and abetting,” he said.

After walking Felton into the detective bureau, Carswell said he understands why the young men are turning to Tillman first.

“Al has done a lot of good work in the community and established a good relationship with them,” he said. “I understand that they feel more comfortable going to someone that works with us and has contacts with us.”

Carswell said the circumstances of young men such as Felton upset him.

Felton was raised by his grandmother. He dropped out of high school and has a 1-year-old son whom he hasn’t seen in a year. And he’s had brushes with the law -- a trespassing charge and a family violence charge after getting into a fight with his sister. His last job was more than a year ago at fast-food restaurant on Presidential Parkway.

“You mean they let you work in their business with that on your face?” Tillman asked Felton.

“Yes,” Felton replied.

He’s since been trying to improve his life, enrolling at Central Georgia Technical College to earn his GED.

“It saddens me,” Carswell said after taking Felton in for questioning, “but I see great potential for a great testimony. He said he’s back in school to get his GED. I tell them to never stop believing in God.”

A few hours after dropping Felton off at the police station, Tillman was getting another call. It was Felton telling him he’d been released -- and that he needed a ride.

“I’m on my way to pick him up,” Tillman said. Now he’ll be trying to help Felton get the tattoos removed from his face.

This story was originally published February 15, 2012 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Wanted men in Macon turn to Tillman for help."