Gov. Kemp suspends Georgia mayor charged with leaving alcohol in ditch for inmates

The mayor of a small town in Georgia has been suspended by GOP Gov. Brian Kemp after he was charged for stashing a bottle of gin in a ditch for a state prison work crew to access.

Thomson Mayor Benjamin "Benji" Cary Cranford, 52, was indicted in August and subsequently arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on felony charges of furnishing prohibited items to inmates and attempt to commit a felony.

Cranford allegedly drove to a store on June 3 and purchased a bottle of Seagram's Extra Dry Gin before leaving it in a ditch along Cobbham Road in Thomson, Georgia, in the path of a work crew of state prisoners from the Jefferson County Correctional Institution.

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Just days later, Thomson Police asked the GBI to conduct an investigation into allegations that Cranford left alcohol to inmates.

Cranford was taken into custody by GBI agents after a city council meeting in August. He was booked into the McDuffie County Jail and was later released on $5,000 bail.

Kemp issued an executive order officially suspending Cranford as mayor on Friday. Cranford had taken office earlier this year after defeating incumbent Kenneth Usry in the election last year.

The governor's office received the indictment on Aug. 20 and on Sept. 9, an executive order was issued, appointing members to a review commission to determine whether the indictment related to or adversely affected the administration of the mayor's duties.

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The commission provided a report to the governor on Oct. 1 showing that the indictment is affecting the administration of the mayor's duties and the rights and interests of the public. The commission recommended Cranford be suspended.

Cranford's suspension is effective immediately and will remain in effect until the final disposition of the case or until the mayor's term expires, whichever happens first.