GBI makes arrest in wildlife management thefts

ATLANTA - Authorities have arrested James Arthur Graham of Lawrenceville, Georgia and Parker Lewis Dean of Braselton, after $50,000 worth of equipment was stolen from several DNR wildlife management areas.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Cleveland Office was requested to conduct an investigation into burglaries in Stephens County, Dawson County and Lumpkin County  in June 2019.

Investigators determined that additional burglaries occurred, both before the GBI investigation and during the investigation, in Hart, Putnam, Burke, Greene, McDuffie, Bartow, Marion and Dooly Counties. 

Investigators determined that both Graham and Dean went on a burglary spree together targeting DNR wildlife management areas from May 2019 through September 2019.   

Both Graham and Dean have been charged with theft by receiving stolen property.