Garry Hand

Name:
Hand, Garry Duane

Date of Booking:
08/08/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Grooming of a minor for a sexual offense or trafficking for sexual servitude

Grooming of a minor for a sexual offense or trafficking for sexual servitude

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

[NARRATIVE #1 on August 01, 2025]

On 8/1/25, I, PFC Werner, was working as the school resource officer for Pepperell High School. During class change from 2nd period to 3rd period, I was approached by [REDACTED] and she asked to speak with me in my office. She stated that he was having a panic attack and that she was being bullied. She provided the name [REDACTED], which I was unable to locate as a student. She stated this person was threatening to push her down the stairs and was calling her fat and stupid. She stated she does have anxiety medicine she takes when needed but did not have any today.

I offered for her to call someone to pick her up and she called her father. She did not provide any names to him of who was bullying her. When I spoke to him over the phone, he stated that they have had truancy issues in the past and was concerned about picking her up. I advised she would not benefit from staying at school today. When he arrived to pick her up, I advised him that [REDACTED] discussed a desire to home school and advised that he can call and get more information if that was something they wanted.

I advised her father I would check cameras and attempt to locate anyone appearing to be bullying her.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on August 07, 2025]

Through follow up with [REDACTED] and school staff, the student alleged to be bullying [REDACTED] is [REDACTED].

Pepperell High School Assistant Principal Mrs. [REDACTED] spoke with both parties of the suspected bullying and their parents. She discovered that [REDACTED] has been driving by [REDACTED]’s house and has been upset that [REDACTED] and her sisters have remained in contact with her “papa” later identified as Gary Hand. Mrs. [REDACTED] notified school social worker Mrs. [REDACTED] who then notified me.

We spoke with [REDACTED] about her issue of alleged bullying with [REDACTED] and where it came from. [REDACTED] stated that [REDACTED] is jealous that her “papa” is giving attention and money to her little sister [REDACTED]. [REDACTED] advised that Gary has communicated with the children via snapchat and takes the girls shopping and out to eat. She stated Gary told her that [REDACTED] has him spend a lot of money and has shown her receipts. [REDACTED] stated just her sister [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] remained going places with him. She stated [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] stopped being friends and [REDACTED] was upset [REDACTED] was still communicating with and seeing Gary.

We also spoke with [REDACTED]. She stated that it felt like [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] were trying to take Gary away from her and that she told [REDACTED] to stop calling Gary since she was no longer friends with her. She stated her biological grandfather and father knew Gary and that was how she met him. She stated she used to go to his house and would play with his grand daughter.

I was able to locate Gary Duane Hand on the Georgia Sex offender registry. He is registered in Polk County and is a Level 1 offender with a prior conviction of child molestation. See FCPD IR 040700672. I was unable to make contact with any official that could provide his conditions.

I contacted Sgt. Lopez to notify her of this and will be forwarding the report.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #3 on August 08, 2025]

On the above date and time, I received information from Sergeant Wacker about Gary Hand who they had taken Grooming warrants for. I was advised that Hand works at Evans construction and should be getting off at 1600 or 1700. Due to that, I did leave the shift briefing early to try and catch him before he left. PFC Bodenheimer did go with me and PFC Bodenheimer was able to find the white Chevrolet truck that he was supposed to be driving. PFC Bodenheimer did observe the truck leaving and blocked its patch with his visible blue lights activated.

As I was also arriving on scene, I did see PFC Bodenhiemer exit the vehicle and instruct the driver to also exit. I immediately recognized the driver as Hand. I did detain him at this time with handcuffs, checked for fit, and double locked per policy. As I advised dispatch of Hand’s name, Sergeant Wacker and PFC Boatfield arrived on scene with the warrants in hand. Once they were on scene, custody of Hand was turned over to Sergeant Wacker and PFC Boatfield.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #4 on August 08, 2025]

On 08/08/2025, Officer Boatfield and I conducted follow-ups at the [WITNESS #1] and [WITNESS #2] address to speak with the parents of the victims. We made contact with [WITNESS #1] at [300 BLOCK] Ave D and spoke to her about the connection between Mr. Hand and [REDACTED]. [WITNESS #1] advised that [REDACTED] is friends with [REDACTED] and that Hand was introduced as their “paw paw”. [WITNESS #1] stated that she was not sure if Hand was actually related to to the [WITNESS #2]s, but advised she knew they had known him for a while. When asked about the relationship between [REDACTED] and Mr. Hand, [WITNESS #1] advised that he acted like a grandfather to her, and the other girls. [WITNESS #1] advised that she did not know about the fact that he was a sex offender until the day prior when [REDACTED] had been called up to the office three times.

[WITNESS #1] stated that she knew Hand had purchased her a phone, but advised he bought all the girls things like food, clothing, shoes, and other stuff. When asked about the communication between the two, [WITNESS #1] seemed surprised about the fact that Hand was telling [REDACTED] things like “I love you” and “huggies” and other sentiments such as those. [WITNESS #1] was especially surprised because she advised that she had spoken with Hand the day prior and told him he could not be around her children any more and to stop contact with them. [WITNESS #1] stated this was advised to him after she found out about then using SnapChat to communicate, as well as the previous sex offense that landed Hand on the sex offender registry. [WITNESS #1] was concerned about what happened to [REDACTED] and was worried that she had been “hurt” by Hand. [WITNESS #1] advised us that if we needed the phone that was given to [REDACTED] that we could take it and do what we needed.

After speaking with [WITNESS #1] we went to [100 BLOCK] Ave C to speak with the [WITNESS #2]s. We made contact with [WITNESS #2], [REDACTED]’s mother. [WITNESS #2] advised she was very familiar with Mr. Hand and stated that he was like a grandfather to her girls. [WITNESS #2] advised this was the case until she had found out about the fact that he was a registered sex offender, approximately a month prior. [WITNESS #2] stated that Hand was not forthcoming with this information and that they had to find out from the gentleman that lived across the street from Hand in Cedartown. Mrs. [WITNESS #2] advsised that when they found out about Hand’s previous conviction the stopped allowing the girls to go with him. [WITNESS #2] advised that Hand would come pick up the girls and take them to get food and take them shopping.

It seemed that although Mrs. [WITNESS #2] would not allow Mr, Hand to take the girls with him anymore, she still allowed him to have contact with them at the house, advising that he would still bring food. While we were there we did notice that a Doordash had been made and left on the porch. This was discovered when the neighbor went to knock on the door because a dog would not let us approach the front door where we finally made contact with Mrs. [WITNESS #2].

While on scene at the residence we spoke with [WITNESS #2], but we also spoke with [REDACTED]’s older sisters [WITNESS #3] and [WITNESS #4]. According to all, [REDACTED] had confided in them and had made the following disclosures, including [REDACTED] writing a note in [WITNESS #4]’s cell phone:

• Hand began to drop quarters down her shirt and it made her feel uncomfortable.
• Hand began to ask [REDACTED] “Are you growning b*obies yet?” on multiple occasions
• On several incidents Hand had walked in on [REDACTED] changing, despite [REDACTED] telling him she was not decent.
• [REDACTED] reported to them that Hand had kissed her on the neck and “b*obies”.
• Hand suggesting, or making, [REDACTED] to sit on his lap.

[WITNESS #4] allowed me to look at the note on her phone that was typed out by [REDACTED] on July 6th, 2025 at 0059 hours; it stated the following:

• he was like kissing my neck and then he started like kissing my b*obs and i felt weird then he forced me to kiss him like always and he was like sit on me NOW.

This was corroborated by [WITNESS #3] who was on the phone while I was speaking with Mrs. [WITNESS #2]. Mrs. [WITNESS #2] advised this was another factor that played into her not letting her girls go with him anymore.

I obtained phone numbers for all parties while on scene for future follow-ups.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #5 on August 08, 2025]

On 08/08/2025 after conducting follow-ups with parents and the preliminary interviews with the children, we spoke with Chief ADA [REDACTED]. After speaking with the Chief ADA we decided that there was substantial probable cause to take warrants for Gary Hand for grooming the two listed victims. After getting the warrants signed by Judge Hughes I made contact with Polk County Police Department to arrange officers to go with us to serve the warrants at Hand’s residence. I made contact with Inv. Brady with Polk PD who connected me with officers that were currently working and we met them at the PD.

After meeting with Polk PD we went to [2000 BLOCK] Old Cedartown Rd in Cedartown. While on scene we noticed that the suspect’s truck was not there and no one came to the door. We did see that there was a camera next to the door and it did appear to activate when we approached the door, making a kind of clicking noise. I noticed that the house had a dilapidated fence and could easily see through it. It appeared that the grass was grown up a bunch of items in the side yard, including what appeared to be an old above ground pool. I noticed the the next door neighbor was outside and spoke to the young white male at the fence who advised Hand was at work and probably would not return until around 1700-1800 hours. The young male advised that he believed Hand worked at a place called Evans, and he advised he believed it was close to the Alabama State Line.

Copies of the warrants were left with Polk PD Officers prior to leaving the scene and returning to Floyd County. While back in route to Floyd, Officer Boatfield issued a lookout to second shift and advised them that we were headed to Evans on Alabama Hwy to search for Hand. Hands description along with the suspect vehicle was given to the officers.

While on our way, Officers Stanfield and Bodenheimer stopped a vehicle matching the suspect description at the entrance to Evans (see their supporting narrative). Not long before our arrival Officer Stanfield gave Hand’s information over the radio and advised that had him in custody due to the active warrants. We arrived approximately a minute afterwords with the original warrants and Hand was arrested. At his arrest, Hand had a cell phone with a red cover in his front shirt pocket. Hand was placed in handcuffs behind the back, double locked, fitted per policy, and placed in the back of my patrol car after the seat was checked and cleared. Hand was transported to the Floyd County Jail where we conducted an interview with Hand.

Prior to the interview, Hand was asked if he could read and write to which he replied that he could. Hand advised he had a GED, a high school diploma equivalent. Hand was advised of his Miranda Rights and he advised he understood them. After advising he understood his rights, Hand advised he would like to speak with us.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #6 on August 12, 2025]

Pepperell Area School Social Worker [WITNESS #5] and I, Pfc Boatfield, talked to [REDACTED] in my office located at Pepperell Middle School (200 Hughes Dairy Rd SE, Lindale, Georgia 30147) in reference to the allegations of inappropriate interaction with Gary Hand.

[REDACTED] stated that she did have contact with Gary but denied that it was inappropriate. She stated that he took her to eat and bought her items she normally would not have access to. For instance, he bought her a brand new phone just one to two weeks prior to our conversation. Mrs. [WITNESS #5] asked how [REDACTED] communicated with Gary. She advised that they communicated on the phone via snapchat. Mrs. [WITNESS #5] asked to see the snapchat, and [REDACTED] obliged. [REDACTED] did say “sometimes he calls me baby or sweetheart, but he doesn’t mean it any way.”

Mrs. [WITNESS #5] viewed the messages, then gave [REDACTED] her phone back. [REDACTED] was sent back to class.

When [REDACTED] was sent back, Mrs. [WITNESS #5] discussed with me the content of the messages. There were several messages between [REDACTED] and Gary where they exchanged “I love you,” “kisses, biggie hugs” “sweetheart,” “baby,” and other pet names. There was also a photo sent, that could no longer be seen due to snapchat’s delete after a certain amount of time policy, and Gary replied “yummy, morning doll.” Another concerning message was Gary saying “kisses, hugs, and much more” and [REDACTED] replying, “nope.” There was also recent history (the day prior) of audio calls as well as video calls between Gary and [REDACTED].

Investigation ongoing.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #7 on August 14, 2025]

On 8/14/2025, I, PFC Werner, attempted a forensic interview at the Harbor House Child Advocacy Center for [REDACTED]. During the interview she did disclose that Garry Hand did make attempts to kiss her on the mouth while in his truck approximately 30 times and did place his hand on her butt approximately 10 times. He did this while on both Ave C and Ave D in Lindale, Ga. This was believed to be and attempt to gain sexual arousal for himself or [REDACTED]. She went on to state that he would tell her “if you kiss me, I will take you shopping.” She did state that she would tell him to stop on numerous occasions.

[REDACTED] did disclose further actions by Gary that occurred at his home in Polk County which will be forwarded to Polk County Police.

A fact sheet has been completed and will be turned in to the jail for the additional charges of sexual battery under the age of 16 and child molestation.

[End of Narrative]