'Wanted' display boosted arrests

AIKEN --- Pictures of Donnie Garry and Cynthia Wilmore were on display at the Aiken Department of Public Safety for two years, plastered on the department's 10 Most Wanted board. Now they've come off, captured in Massachusetts.

The two fugitives -- wanted on bank fraud charges -- were the last of Aiken public safety's original 10 Most Wanted -- a publicity effort that police say enabled the public to help them catch the bad guys.

Lt. David Turno said the department got the idea from the FBI's Most Wanted board.

"We have their board as well in our building," he said. "They have success with it. We just felt like we could take their idea and run with it."

One by one, the original 10 fugitives were caught, their pictures taken down and replaced with others.

Cpl. Jeremy Hembree said displaying posters of wanted criminals has "absolutely" been a success in catching criminals.

"We pass by it every day," he said. "As we change people out, officers in other departments see the board, and they know who we're looking for. The public comes in every day for court. These (wanted) people are seen in the community."

Cpl. Hembree said that each week they check their warrant list, looking for someone wanted for a violent crime, although committing a violent crime isn't necessary to win a spot on the Most Wanted board.

"Telly is an excellent example," he said, referring to 32-year-old Telly Renard Johnson, who has multiple warrants for his arrest. His picture went up on the board this week.

Mr. Johnson is wanted on charges of failure to stop for blue lights, driving under a suspended license, open container, illegal transport of legal liquor, shoplifting and trespassing after notice.

Lt. Turno said the department frequently receives calls from people either providing information on a fugitive's whereabouts or who think they saw someone who matches a picture on the Most Wanted board.

Sometimes those calls pan out, and sometimes they don't.

What matters is "the community is paying attention, which is want we want," Cpl. Hembree said.

Reach Michelle Guffey at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or michelle.guffey@augustachronicle.com