Dublin DA’s office doubles number of closed cases

When it came to closing cases in 2025, the Dublin Judicial Circuit more than doubled its performance.

Dublin District Attorney Harold McLendon, who just completed his first year in office, shared that his office closed 427 cases last year, up from 200 in 2024 for a 113.5 percent increase. Twiggs County went up from 40 in 2024 to 101 in 2025 for a 152.5 percent increase, Treutlen County rose from 24 to 43 in 2025 for a 79.17 percent increase and Johnson County went up from 36 to 57 in 2025 for a 58.33 percent increase. 

“Anything we do in the criminal justice system, it starts with law enforcement,” McLendon said. “We don’t have a case or get to first base without them first getting involved and bringing the case to us.”

Overall, the Dublin DA’s office closed 628 cases, up from 300 the previous year for a 109.33 percent increase.

“We have been busy,” Chief Assistant DA Kelly Weathers said. “We aren’t law enforcement, but we are partners with law enforcement and that communication is so critical to our ability to make sure that all of the information has been gathered. Law enforcement may be aware of something, but if there is a breakdown in communication from the case they work to our files in court, then that’s a problem.”

The jurors have played an important part in the process, too.

“If the jurors are not willing to serve, or don’t do their job, we just can’t function without everybody doing their piece,” McLendon said. 

And then there are the judges.

“We are very blessed to have them stand up, and it is working very beautifully,” the DA said. “When we have proved our cases, and the jury says, ‘Yes, they are guilty,’ the judges have sentenced them accordingly. They make the sentences fit the crime and have sent out a message to the community that we will not tolerate these things.” 

One of those statements was the sentence for Thomas Henry Blanks, 38, who was found guilty on two counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes, two counts of aggravated child molestation, incest, aggravated sodomy and rape during a trial that was completed in early December. He
received life, plus 110 years for these offenses against his daughter and stepson, McLendon said.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of these types of cases in the Dublin Judicial Circuit.

“It is a lot on those kids who have to take the stand and testify about the most horrific thing that has ever happened to them so far in their life and have 12 people decide if they believe them or not,” said Chief Assistant DA Kelly Weathers, who prosecuted the Blanks case. “It’s a big deal when you take a case to trial.”

McLendon recalled the victim’s statement in the Blank’s trial.

“In a lot of times the kids get a chance to face the defendant and let them know that they can’t hurt them now and say, “You did this to me,” he said. “They get some relief in a lot of these type of cases and it’s good to have the jury believe the victim and that makes (the victims) feel a little bit better.” 

McLendon also praised organizations like Women In Need of God’s Shelter (WINGS), Stepping Stone Child Advocacy & Sexual Assault Center and TLC Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).

“They have helped us out in different areas,” McLendon said.

Except for Johnson County, the circuit has seen an increase in indicted cases, which is the point in the process in which the DA’s office declares it is ready to begin its prosecution. Laurens County rose from 616 in 2024 to 841 in 2025 (36.53 percent increase), Treutlen went up from 48 in 2024 to 62 in 2025 (29.17 percent increase) and Twiggs rose from 166 in 2024 to 231 in 2025 (39.16 percent increase). Johnson County went down from 134 in 2024 to 97 in 2025 (a 27.61 percent decrease). Overall, the numbers went up from 964 in 2024 to 1,231 in 2025 (a 27.70 percent increase).

“At the beginning of 2025, everybody was working to beat statute of limitations on things that had been sitting out there,” Weathers said. “We did have to dismiss a lot of things where the statute had run or we had maybe two weeks left. I feel like we have gotten that backlog under control. We want to have a one-year-goal-standard, but the quicker we can actually resolves it, the better everyone is. The family of the victim needs closure. They can’t rest until then.”

Weathers was glad the DA allowed them to use a digital program that allows them to almost have a direct line of digital information with law enforcement agencies. Days of information on thumb drives and disks are things of the past.

“That has increased our ability to go to court and announce that we’re ready,” Weathers said. “The defense can be ready because they have the information as quickly as we have it. I think that has been pre-revolutionary for our circuit.” 

McLendon recalled going through hundreds or thousands of pages of information and wearing out copy machines. 

“Now we can electronically send it to them, and it’s done,” he said. “It is really saving so much money and expense for the county and ended all of those wasted manpower and time.”

Another big help in 2025 was going from two victim advocates to four in the DA’s office. According to Weathers, they had 9,491 victim contacts in 2025, up from 4,773 the previous year. 

“They help us move cases because we know the expectations,” Weathers said. “If we have a good line of communication we can evaluate information. Sometimes, especially the more serious violent felonies or the child victim cases, they need more than just a piece of paper or email. They need somebody to walk them through for things like what is going to be happening in court, what are they talking about and what is going to be expected of them. Our victim advocate team, I would put them up against anybody in the state.” 

The DA’s office will look at a defendant’s criminal history and perform an evaluation to see if they are a risk to being a repeat offender. If they qualify, the defendants will be sent to their Post Arrest Redirection (PAR) program, which is run by Laray Avery.

“He is one who has a network of many,” Weathers said. “He networks with rehabs, churches, men’s groups, community support groups and military recruiters. He personally takes on to mentor folks even after they complete the program.” 

In 2025, 78 defendants from Laurens County, 12 from Treutlen County, 17 from Twiggs County and 27 from Johnson County were sent to the PAR program. As of Dec. 29, 2025, 117 of those enrolled had completed the program.

“That means they have done whatever the contract was with our office and their cases were dismissed,” Weathers said. “Laray has 23 students and 29 adults that he actively checks in on to make sure they are getting the support they needed and they are staying on their feet. The goal is for them not to repeat the behavior that got them on our logs.” 

That can be challenging for those on substance abuse issues. Avery recently sent out an email to inform attorneys that he had a bed at six rehabs for candidates who needed it. Twelve participants in the program are currently in substance abuse rehab programs. 

“I hate to call him a defendant advocate, but in a way he kind of is,” Weathers said.

There are six former PAR participants who are now serving in the military.

“He has actually gotten six certified gang members out of gangs and into the Marine Corps,” McLendon said. “This is a gift that he has.” 

When McLendon took office, he promised that DAs would be called to crime scenes. In fact, he let local law enforcement agencies know he would be upset if his office was not contacted when something happened.

“This lets the victims and the public know that I am certainly engaged and I’m out there in most cases,” McLendon said. “If I am out there at 3 in the morning, the witnesses and people will come over and talk to you because they see you are interested. Everything we do matters. It’s been good to get an opportunity to get to know people.”  

He said it is good to have a DA at the scene, or ready to take a call, in order for them to give advice to law enforcement.

“That way they don’t feel like they are out there by themselves and that we are one big unit,” McLendon said. 

Going into 2026, McLendon would like to be more proactive in certain situations. Majority of the murders prosecuted in 2025 were committed by young people with guns.

“A child should never have a gun. It shouldn’t happen,” McLendon said. “Any time a child 12 years and under shoots somebody, it is a problem. The next thing is a convicted felon shouldn’t have them either. We are working with the federal government. We want to put this on the front burner and let them prosecute them. We want to put a full-court press on getting people who should not have guns dealt with.”