Man Denies Attempting to Pay for Sex, Text Messages Tell a Different Story

A Danielsville, Ga. man claimed he was robbed during a Nov. 30 visit to a Winder apartment, but denied the incident was a prostitution deal gone wrong.

Winder Police were dispatched to the Hardees on Broad Street after the 32-year-old man called to report the robbery. The man claimed he met a woman on a website, but said he didn't recall which one. After exchanging text messages with the woman, the man went to a Winder apartment to meet the woman.

According to the Danielsville man, four men were inside the apartment and one "had some type of stick." The man armed with the stick reportedly walked up to the Danielsville man, took his wallet and removed $90. The man with the stick then returned the wallet and the Danielsville man left the apartment and called police.

When asked if it was a prostitution deal gone bad, the Danielsville man said it was not. The officer then asked the man if he could read the text messages he exchanged with the woman. The man agreed.

"The text messages stated that a good time would cost him $80. [The Danielsville man] replied he would take care of her and he had the money," the officer noted in the report. "[The Danielsville man] then admitted that he has been on the prostitution website Backpage.com and he may of met her on there."

The officer went to the apartment where the robbery reportedly occurred to investigate further. Upon arrival he saw a woman matching the description provided by the Danielsville man. The woman was standing next to a man holding a wooden cane. Once the woman saw the officer, she reportedly began walking away. The officer ordered her to stop, but the woman did not comply.

"The female then started to open up apartment D and I began running towards her. The female again, did not comply with my lawful commands and shut the door to apartment D. Due to me being in actual 'hot pursuit' I pushed the door open and went inside the apartment," the officer wrote in the report. 

The female, identified as Karen Carlton, 21, of Auburn, was led back outside to wait with other officers. On the ground where Carlton had been standing, the officer noticed a clear plastic baggie containing a white substance that appeared to be methamphetamine residue.

Four men were also inside the apartment. The officer asked all of the men for identification. One of the men, who the officer recognized as Bradley Wingo, age 21 of Maysville, allegedly identified himself as James Wingo. The officer placed Wingo in handcuffs at that time for providing a false name. During a post-arrest search of Wingo's person, the officer found a clear, plastic baggie containing what appeared to be methamphetamine in the pocket of the jacket Wingo was wearing. Wingo claimed the jacket was not his, but belonged to one of the other men inside the apartment. While speaking with Wingo, the officer noticed a DVD case on the couch which had several white lines on it and a credit card and a piece of paper next to it.

"I suspected the white lines to be methamphetamines and the rolled up straw was being used to snort the drug," the officer noted.

The other three men -- Joshua Wages, 31, of Winder; Austin Cronic, 20, of Bethlehem and Timothy Cronic, 25, of Winder -- were escorted outside the apartment. The officer then asked the tenant of the apartment -- Victoria Williams, 18 of Winder -- for permission to search the apartment for drugs.

"Ms. Williams thought about it and told me she really didn't want me to," the report stated.

The officer obtained a search warrant and returned to the apartment to execute the warrant. In addition to the DVD case with the suspected methamphetamine residue, officers found a meth pipe in the kitchen and a marijuana cigarette in Williams' bedroom. The officer also found a notebook with information about the weight of narcotics and a bag full of empty pill capsules.

"Ms. Williams stated she has in the past sold narcotics and she knows people sell out of her apartment," the officer wrote. "Ms. Williams explained the capsules were used to make and sell the street drug 'molly,' but she has not done that in a while. Ms. Williams stated she forgot about the capsules."

After completing the search, the officer learned one of the detainees, Timothy Cronic, had been placed under arrest for giving another officer a false name. Cronic also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Another one of the detainees, Austin Cronic, had reportedly dropped a clear bag containing methamphetamine residue. He was also placed under arrest.

The officer then interviewed Carlton who denied texting the Danielsville man regarding sex. Carlton, according to the report, claimed someone else was texting him.

"Ms. Carlton stated she would never sell her body for money, that was just wrong," the report stated. "Ms. Carlton did admit to having the money, but claimed Mr. London gave it to her because he wanted to be her, 'sugar daddy.' Ms. Carlton was adamant that there was no robbery."

The officer then spoke with Timothy Cronic after reading him his Miranda Rights. Cronic admitted meeting with the Danielsville man outside the apartment and "thought for sure a prostitution deal was made." Cronic said he stayed outside the apartment while the Danielsville man went inside, but feels the man handed over the money voluntarily.

Wingo, who also agreed to speak with officers after being read his Miranda Rights, also denied a robbery took place. Wingo reportedly said the Danielsville man gave Carlton money in the hopes she would come home with him and was mad when she opted not to do so.

The officer then asked everyone present who owned the meth pipe and the meth on the DVD case. When no one claimed it, the officer placed everyone with access to the methamphetamine under arrest. No one was charged with robbery due to lack of evidence. 

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