James Carlan

Name:
Carlan, James Thomas

Date of Booking:
09/18/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
Obstruction of Officers – 6 Counts

Cruelty to Animals

Cruelty to Animals – 2 Counts

Criminal Damage to Property-2nd Degree-Business

Arson First Degree

Aggravated Assault – 6 Counts

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.]

On September 18, 2026, I, Corporal Powell, along other members of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Criminal/Civil Warrant Division, responded to 1259 Russell Parkway, Suite P & Q, in reference to serving an Eviction, on James Carlan.

Prior to responding, information had been gathered days prior to the issues that Carlan may present. Carlan is known to post on social media, anti-government and law enforcement rhetoric. Carlan had also been very vocal about his disdain towards the Houston County Magistrate Court because of how the eviction process had been handled. Carlan was of the mindset that Magistate Court did not hold authority and that his eviction needed to be heard in Federal Court.

On September 15, 2026, Carlan was served with a copy of the Writ of Possession (2025MV02058234) advising that he needed to be out of the building by September 17, 2028 at 0800 hours. In a Tik Tok video posted on September 16, 2026 under “THE BROKEN GURU”, Carlan made comments again about the eviction not being legal and that he if he did not post another video it was because he was not living anymore and that was the only way he was leaving the building.

Another video dated September 17, 2026, Carlan made another video where the back ground was blacked out and Carlan could be heard stating that he had his gasoline ready and the building had been baricaded. Carlan stated he was going to pour the gasoline that he would set himself on fire because so that Law Enforcement could not grab him.

That video was reported by an unknown person and the Warner Robins Police Department had an Officer respond to 1259 Russell Parkway to the check welfare on Carlan. Carlan did not answer any attempts but later made a Tik Tok addressing the welfare check. Carlan appeared okay and went on with his normal rhetoric. A short time after that video was posted. I was made aware from my supervisor, Lieutenant James Spivey, that we would be would completing the eviction the next morning, September 18, 2026 at 0730 hours.

Just before 0730 hours, myself and other Deputies arrived and parked next door at Smoke’s Bar and Grill located at 1249 Russell Parkway. We began walking over when it was advised by Corporal Deryk Collins that Carlan was moving in and out of the building and currently located in the back alleyway with a dog. As we got closer, Carlan was seen going back inside.

We held at His and Her Style Makers, 1255 Russell Parkway, to see if Carlan would come back out. After a few minutes holding, Lt Spivey advised me to move up and attempt contact at the Front Door of Suite P. I began knocking and announcing myself and immediately found the front door to be locked. Lt Spivey and Corporal Travis Durham, began mechanically breaching the front door while I provided cover.

Once the door was open, I could see a black curtain hanging in the threshold. I tore that curtain down and observed there to several wooden pallets and a desk preventing entry. Lt Spivey attempted to move the pallets by hand but discovered the pallets had been screwed into the door frame. Around this time, I saw Carlan appear from a back room. I began giving verbal orders to keep his hands where I could see him and to give up. Carlan appeared in a very trance like state clinching his right hand. It also appeared that he poured a liquid over himself.

Based on prior information, I believed it to be gasoline. Carlan ignored any verbal commands and then disappeared back into the room. Lt Spivey called Corporal Michael Gilbert who was staged with the Bear Cat, to proceed to our location. While standing by, I could smell the fumes of gasoline getting stronger and stronger. Carlan reappeared and I could see that he was trying to activate cameras and his cellphone to record the encounter. Carlan then appeared frustrated as if something didn’t function and disappeared again. I continued giving verbal commands to Carlan for him to surrender.

Once Cpl Gilbert arrived, the breaching ram was attached and Cpl Gilbert was able to clear the pallets and the desk. I then made entry and took a position to where I could cover off on the room where I believed Carlan to be. I saw there to be two dogs inside the structure. One of which look to be in bad health and could not flee from the structure.

I could also see there was a clear one gallon plastic jug on the floor just outside the door to the room Carlan was in. The jug contained what I believed to be gas. Around the jug was liquid on the floor from the room all the way back to our breach point. I reposition to the opposite side of the room and covered off down the hallway. I again gave verbal commands to Carlan to surrender. Carlan could be heard yelling but I could not make out what he was saying.

Cpl Gilbert then came up to the hallway where I was and given the order by Lt Spivey to launch 40 MM gas grenade(s) into the room where Carlan was. Cpl Gilbert launched CS Gas Grenades into the room. Just after the third grenade was launched I could see there was fire that had been started inside the room.

Assisting Deputies began pulling back outside the breach point as the fire was getting more intense. Deputy Malcolm Ralphs entered the building with pressurized water tank and began trying to get the fire under control from the hallway and then pulled out. I relocated to my original position for a few moments before falling back outside the threshold. I held there briefly when I saw movement and immediately reentered with Corporal Ian Casey.

Cpl Casey had visual contact with Carlan and began giving verbal commands. Carlan began moving down the hallway very slowly clinching his cellphone and what appeared to be a lighter. As Carlan became more visible Sergeant Doug Blackmon and Corporal Jamie Collins grabbed Carlan and put him facedown on a desk by the front door. Carlan was placed in handcuffs behind the back and escorted outside. I along with Deputy William Treadway then cleared the remainder of the building finding no other person(s) inside.

I exited the structure and stood by until I recieved orders from Sergeant Blackmon to gather information for a report and criminal charges. While doing so, it was brought to my attention that Warner Robins Animal Control was on scene to retrieve the dogs and that the dog I initially seen was in far worse health then anticipated. I was able to see the dog up close and could see that he was loosing his fur and that he was severely malnourished. It also looked like the dogs anus was prolapsed and bleeding. The other dog seemed to be in decent health.

After gathering what I needed for a report. I departed the scene and applied for warrants against Carlan for Six Counts Aggravated Assault, Six Counts of Felony Obstruction, One count Arson 1st Degree, Two Counts Animal Cruelty, Active Harm and One Count Animal Cruelty, Neglect, and One Count Criminal Damage to Property 2nd Degree.

I later met with Magistrate Judge Sara Wechsler and was granted the above warrants. Carlan was transported by Corporal Andrew Gunn to Emory Hospital to be checked out before being turned over to the Houston County Detention Center.

[End of Narrative]