Regional Roundup: North Georgia Militiamen Sentenced, HIV Bias Lawsuit Settled and Handgun Taken From Car at School Parking Lot

– Cumming Patch

Two North Georgia militiamen were sentenced to five years in federal prison on charges of conspiring to obtain an unregistered explosive device and silencer.

Frederick Thomas, 73, of Cleveland, and Dan Roberts, 68, of Toccoa, were sentenced today, Aug. 22, by U.S. District Judge Richard W. Story to the prison terms, to be followed by three years supervised release. They were found guilty of the charges on April 10. 

U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said: “These defendants didn’t just talk about killing government officials and law enforcement officers, they purchased equipment, including a silencer and what they thought were explosive devices, to carry out their plans. Now they will spend five years in prison.” 

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– Midtown Patch

The City of Atlanta will pay a HIV-positive police recruit a settlement fee of $25,000 to resolve an almost four-year long discrimination lawsuit.

Lambda Legal, which bases its Southern Regional Office in Midtown, made the announcement Wednesday involving the case of an anonymous recruit, who said he was denied employment because of his HIV status and that City doctors violated his privacy.

"We are glad that the City of Atlanta has moved to right its wrong," Greg Nevins, supervising senior staff attorney at Lambda Legal's Midtown office, said in a news release.

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– Alpharetta Patch

Two people discovered a private school parking lot wasn't safe enough to leave valuables inside parked cars on Aug. 14.

The two victims were meeting at  off Cogburn Road just after 7 p.m. to discuss a trip to Spain. Less than an hour later they were calling Milton police to report someone had broken into their cars and stolen credit cards, checks, a handgun, an iPad and other personal items.

The male victim said he arrived at the school at 7:05 p.m., and by 7:15 p.m. fraudulent charges were appearing on his credit cards.

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