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Wigington indicted by state in Pickens Superior Court

News March 16, 2021 , by Lonnie Adams

JASPER, Ga. – The case of the State of Georgia vs. William Allen Wigington and Rosemary Taudte Wigington has moved forward this week as they were officially indicted by a Grand Jury in Pickens County on March 11, 2021.

The indictment includes both Allen and Rosemary in the filing where it lists 58 counts against the defendants. Both arrested in January 2020, Allen Wigington is listed on every count, only six bear Rosemary’s name. The 58 counts switch between theft by taking, racketeering, violation of oath by public officer, forgery in the fourth degree, and numerous counts of unauthorized use of a financial transaction card.

Rosemary Taudte Wigington, left, and William Allen Wigington, right, were indicted by a Grand Jury on March 11, 2021, in Pickens County.

The indictment explained part of the alleged crimes through taking money on different occasions, some more than $1,500 and some less, the use of a “purchasing card,” and forging checks.

As the indictment paperwork explains, “Pickens County Government has two primary ways to purchase goods or services. The first way is through the issuance of Purchasing Cards, known as “P-Cards.” P-Cards are credit cards with government accounts that are issued to certain government officials. The bills for P-Cards are sent directly to the government, thus bypassing the government official’s need to process reimbursement paperwork.”

Many of these charges involving P-Cards include purchases involve physical goods like an Apple iWatch or a Microsoft Surface Pro. Others involve goods and services like hotels such as Hampton Inn and Doubletree. Some are simple services like a note in Count 10 which reads “the accused paid for parking at an Embassy Suites in Atlanta, Georgia to engage in a rendezvous with an escort…”

Indicted by a Grand Jury, former judge William Allen Wigington faces charges on 58 Counts of alleged criminal activity against the State of Georgia and Pickens County Government. (Photo by Courts of Pickens County)

Alternatively, if an official uses a personal credit or debit card, they can submit reimbursement forms through the Pickens County government in order to receive reimbursement. And so, according to the indictment, Allen Wigington allegedly placed certain government related goods or services on his P-Card, having Pickens County pay for the services. He then allegedly filled out “Institute of Continuing Judicial Education in Georgia reimbursement forms” for those same charges. The indictment states that he should have taken the reimbursement money and given it to Pickens County to reimburse those purchases. However, instead he allegedly kept the reimbursement funds delivered from the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education in Georgia.

Additionally, the indictment moves on to what it calls “racketeering” on 30 different occasions between October of 2016 and June of 2019 where it alleges that Wigington appropriated money with the intention of depriving Pickens County of that money by “intentionally failing to reimburse funds” for lodging, fuel, and purchased goods.

All of these allegations come in the face of the signed “Oath of Magistrate” included in the indictment, signed by Wigington on December 19, 2016, becoming an alleged breach of his oath on top of the alleged criminal activity.

The indictment can be read in it’s entirety here.

Rosemary Wigington arrested same day as husband Allen Wigington indicted

News November 19, 2020 , by Lonnie Adams

JASPER, Ga. – Official records from the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office have confirmed the arrest of one Rosemary Wigington and booking into the Pickens County Adult Detention Center.

Rosemary Taudte Wigington

Arrested earlier today on two counts of Theft by Taking, Rosemary Wigington was incarcerated, according to the warrant placed for her arrest, with a $50,000 bond. Today also saw proceedings for official indictment of former Chief Magistrate Judge Allen Wigington, Allen was arrested in January of this year for Theft and Violation of Oath of Office. At the time, he was also given a $50,000 bond.

Rosemary faces one misdemeanor count of Theft by Taking and one felony count of Theft by Taking according to records.

According to the arresting records, Rosemary’s workphone was listed as that of Pickens High School. According to Pickens County Schools’ website, she teaches World History and is a part of the LPSCS (Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security Career) Pathway. Some of the pathway classes listed under her pathway courses include Introduction to Law, Corrections, and Security, Criminal Justice Essentials, and Criminal Investigations.

The same website confirms that Rosemary has been a part of the faculty for more than 20 years where she has previously taught Civics, Geography, World History, US History, AP European History, and Criminal Justice.

Allen Wigington

According to documents from the District Attorney’s Office, Allen Wigington’s indictment listed 57 counts of criminal activity including 42 counts of “Unauthorized Use of a Financial Transaction Card,” 11 counts of “Theft by Taking,” 3 counts of “Forgery in the Fourth Degree,” and 1 count of “Violation of Oath by Public Officer.”

The counts reached all the way back to January of 2017 and some were as recent as January of 2020. With the Theft by Taking counts totaling over $2,666 in just the specified amounts of six of those counts. The other counts only specified more than or less than $1,500. Some held named people as those he allegedly took the money from, others named the Magistrate Court of Pickens County, Pickens County Government, and Pickens County Law Library as the alleged victims of the theft. Then, each of the three indictments of “Forgery in the Fourth Degree” for checks less than $1,500.

The extra counts of “Unauthorized Use of a Financial Transaction Card” included

Count 11. goods and services Hampton Inn Canton, Georgia

Count 12. goods and services at Hilton New Orleans, Riverside

Count 13. goods and services at Doubletree by Hilton Bonnet Creek Hotel Orlando, Florida

Count 14. goods and services at Doubletree by Hilton Atlanta Airport Atlanta, Georgia

Count 15. goods and services at Hampton Inn Kingsland, Ga

Count 16. Apple iWatch

Count 17. AC plus Watch Series 4-PAIOS

Count 18. Chick-Fil-A Food

Count 19. K&G Atlanta

Count 20. K&G Marietta

Count 21. Birkenstock Women’s Mayari Sandals

Count 22. Tonka Mighty Motorized Garbage FFP Truck, Battat-Dump Truck with Working Moveable Parts and 1 Driver, Women’s Merry Christmas Reindeer/Santa Claus Printed Tunic Tops, VTech Go! Go! Smart Spin Wheel Spinning Spiral Tower Playset, and Toy State Caterpillar Tough Tracks 3 Piece Set

Count 23. Old Glory Christmas FA LA Llama Men’s Long Sleeve T Shirt

Count 24. No PRobllama Llama Ugly Sweater Funny Women Sweatshirt T-shirt Irish Green 2XL

Count 25. True Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth 5.0 Headset

Count 26. Borescope Inspection Ear Wax Remover Tool

Count 27. Amazon Prime Membership

Count 28. Nintendo Switch, Airpods, and Airpods case

Count 29. Probiotic Capsules

Count 30. Probiotic Capsules

Count 31. Boy’s Long Sleeve Contrast Color Cute Bunny Casual T-Shirt

Count 32. Set of 5 Reading Glasses

Count 33. Probiotic Capsules

Count 34. Probiotic Capsules

Count 35. True Wireless Earbuds 5.0 Headset

Count 36. Crew Socks and Reading Glasses

Count 37. 3 piece personalized toddler firefighter outfit

Count 38. Polo cologne, detangling brush, makeup primer and pore minimizer, children’s lab coat, kids scrubs, and nasal care essentials bundle

Count 39. Magnetic tiles with storage case, magnetic block set, and magnetic cars

Count 40. Maxliner floor mats

Count 41. Condor jacket and a shave suction razor stand holder kit

Count 42. Apple watch bands

Count 43. VIGO Zurich kitchen sink faucet

Count 44. Rozin bathroom shower faucet set, Votamuta floor mounted faucets, Rozin rainfall shower faucet set, and LOCOA Chandelier

Count 45. Oriental rug and box spring

Count 46. Mattress, KitchenAid stand mixer, rug pad, area rug, wooden bed slats, and a slow cooker

Count 47. Robot vacuum cleaner, accessory kit for a robot vacuum cleaner, and ECOVACS Dry-Wet Mop replacement

Count 48. Umbrella, stroller umbrella, and three travel mugs

Count 49. Stick-on LED lights, roll up shooting mat, bronze IGLOO cooler, and a black IGLOO cooler

Count 50. Vehicle emergency lights and home security hardware

Count 51. Drafting chair

Count 52. Reading Glasses

Allen Wigington Arrested Chief Magistrate county Court Indicted Indictment pickens Rosemary Wigington Wigington

Judicial Order closes Courts in the Appalachian District

News March 13, 2020 , by Lonnie Adams

Judicial Order, Brenda Weaver, Chief Judge, Judge,

GILMER, Ga. – An order declaring a Judicial Emergency has been released from Chief Judge Brenda Weaver was filed today in Gilmer County regarding civil and/or criminal court proceedings in the Appalachian Judicial Circuit (Gilmer, Fannin, Pickens counties).

The order states, “The nature of this emergency is the continued transmission of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 throughout the State of Georgia and the potential infection of those who are required to appear in our courts and interact with large groups due to jury service, including grand jury service, or other large, non-essential calendars.”

As for the cases slated for next week, the order states, “It is the order of the Court that jury trials are CONTINUED, and no jurors or grand jurors shall report, and no jury trials shall be held for a period of 30 days from the date of the entry of this order.”

The order charges all parties and attorneys in specially-set hearings between March 13, 2020, and April 11, 2020, to contact the assigned judge for directions.

The order provides this list of the Amended 2020 Superior Court Calendar in that same time frame:

Additionally, the order calls for attorneys and clients to report and notify each other of any sign or showing of symptoms of illness, even mild ones, prior to or after court as well as any contact or exposure to a Coronavirus positive individual. The attorneys should then contact the judge’s office if this occurs.

The order also states a list of people that “shall not enter Pickens, Gilmer, or Fannin Courthouse or any probation office Pickens, Gilmer, or Fannin Counties, without prior permission from the Chief Judge.” Those people include:

Persons who have been in any of the following countries or regions within the last 14 days:
STATE OF WASHINGTON
NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK
CHINA
SOUTH KOREA
JAPAN
ITALY
IRAN
EGYPT
Persons who reside or have had close contact with someone who has been in one of the countries listed above within the last 14 days;
Persons who have been asked to self-quarantine by any doctor, hospital, or health agency;
Persons who have been diagnosed within, or have had contact with, anyone who has been diagnosed with Coronavirus (COVID-19);

The order charges Sheriff’s offices in these counties to deny entry to those in violation of this order. It also gives guidance to those under this order’s restrictions on the steps to take. Read the full Judicial Order below: