Former Bibb deputy sentenced to probation in federal corruption probe

A former Bibb County sheriff's deputy was sentenced to three years of probation Thursday for his part in a federal corruption probe that included three of his former co-workers who were sentenced earlier this year.

Jermaine Donnell Hill, 40, pleaded guilty to theft of government money and making a false statement last summer, but the false statement charge was dismissed by prosecutors partly due to his cooperating with authorities in the prosecution of three other then-deputies.

On Nov. 21, 2013, FBI agents parked a car on Joe Tamplin Boulevard in Macon with $1,000 in cash tucked into an envelope inside. The vehicle was equipped with audio and video recording devices, according to Hill's plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.

Hill, who was on duty, was dispatched to check out the car, a supposedly stolen vehicle.

He was recorded pocketing the $1,000 he found in the car.

Later, when questioned by the FBI about the money, Hill denied finding money in the car. Confronted with the video in a subsequent interview, Hill admitted he took the money and lied to agents, according to the agreement.

He agreed to participate in undercover operations investigating then-deputies Arthur Howard, Jimmy Lee Denson and Decarlo C. Latimore.

The three each pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of misdemeanor theft of government property after prosecutors' case became hampered by mistakes in the FBI case that came to light. The men previously had been charged with attempted extortion, a felony.

The FBI failed to review and disclose all the text messages and calls recorded in a wiretap of Hill's phone. The review and disclosure is required in part because defendants are entitled to be made aware of evidence that might exonerate them.

Also, evidence-handling forms weren't completely filled out when they were given to prosecutors. Agents later retrieved the forms and filled them out, essentially backdating them.

A FBI agent testifying before a grand jury in the case also failed to disclose that he had once been suspended or disciplined, a disclosure that's required.

Howard, Denson and Latimore each were sentenced to three years probation.

Prosecutors have said the pre-trial mistakes also impacted Hill's case.

Hill asked the judge for mercy during his Thursday hearing at the federal courthouse in Macon.

"I'm very sorry," he said,

Because he cooperated with authorities, the prosecution and Hill's attorney both argued that Hill be sentenced to probation and not prison.

Judge Marc Treadwell said he "very reluctantly" agreed to the probated sentence.

He also ordered Hill to pay $1,000 restitution for the stolen money. Prosecutor Michael Solis said Hill already has returned the money.

Hill also already has relinquished his certification as a police officer. As a condition of his probation, Hill is banned from seeking employment as a law enforcement officer, a corrections officer or security guard.

Information from Telegraph archives was used in this report. To contact writer Amy Leigh Womack, call 744-4398 or find her on Twitter@awomackmacon.

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Former Bibb deputy sentenced to probation in federal corruption probe ."