County commissioner, family members indicted on organized crime charges

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  • Booking photos from the Hart County Detention Center — From left to right, top row, R.C. Oglesby, Steven Oglesby, Amy Oglesby, Dasia Oglesby. Bottom row, Nelson Blackwell and Monique Oglesby.
    Booking photos from the Hart County Detention Center — From left to right, top row, R.C. Oglesby, Steven Oglesby, Amy Oglesby, Dasia Oglesby. Bottom row, Nelson Blackwell and Monique Oglesby.
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Suspended Hart County Commissioner R.C. Oglesby, his son Steven Oglesby and several family members were indicted by a Hart County grand jury Wednesday for using their influence in the community to operate what authorities say was an organized-crime scheme through their Hartwell-based businesses, Hart County Superior Court records show.
The indictment could serve as a catalyst for Gov. Brian Kemp to appoint a replacement for R.C. Oglesby on the board of commissioners until his case is resolved.
The six-person, 45-count indictment acquired Thursday by The Hartwell Sun details a system in which the businesses, Ludi’s Soul Food and R&D Carwash, “served as a front for illegal activity,” the indictment said.
“These two businesses are the center of the Oglesby family’s enterprise and the center of the drug activity surrounding this case,” the indictment states.
It goes on to accuse Steven Oglesby of operating the scheme.
“Defendant Steven Oglesby used R.C. Oglesby’s carwash business, R&D Carwash, as a front to sell controlled substances and marijuana in exchange for cash and EBT cards, often using these proceeds to buy food for Ludi’s Soul Food as well as for other personal gain,” the indictment reads under a heading titled “The Scheme.”
It goes on to accuse Steven’s wife Amy Oglesby, his daughter Dasia Oglesby and Yolanda Monique Oglesby of using illicitly procured EBT cards to buy goods for Ludi’s Soul Food at stores in Hart County and in Anderson, S.C.
Defendants Nelson O’Neal Blackwell and Thomas Strange worked at the carwash and were “directed by Defendant Steven Oglesby on when and where to deliver controlled substances and marijuana after he received cash and EBT cards from buyers,” the indictment states. “This was all done under the watch and direction of Defendant R.C. Oglesby.”
All of this was to supply Ludi’s, which had a food service contract with the Hart County Jail in violation of state laws, according to the indictment.
“The Defendant R.C. Oglesby used his influence as a member of the Hart County Board of Commissioners to personally benefit from a county contract to cater food to the Hart County Jail,” in violation of state law that “prohibits interested transactions by members of (a) county governing authority,” the indictment said. “The food that was used to fulfill this contract was often purchased using illicitly appropriated EBT cards.”
R.C. Oglesby, Steven Oglesby, Amy Oglesby, Dasia Oglesby, Yolanda Monique Oglesby and Blackwell are all now charged in Hart County Superior Court with violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO Act, for allegedly committing financial card theft, financial card fraud, identity fraud, theft by taking, theft by shoplifting, sale of cocaine and the sale of marijuana in an organized crime scheme.  
The indictment accuses R.C. Oglesby of 13 counts of theft by shoplifting for allegedly stealing items on multiple occasions from Hart County stores.
Steven Oglesby is facing:
• two counts of selling marijuana
• four counts of illegal use of a communication facility
• three counts of selling cocaine
• one count of financial transaction card theft
• one count of financial transaction card fraud
• one count of possession of a schedule I controlled substance
• one count of possession of a schedule III controlled substance
• one count of possession of a firearm during commission of a felony
• one count of theft by taking.
Amy Oglesby is facing:
• 10 counts of financial transaction card fraud
• one count of financial transaction card theft
Dasia Oglesby is facing:
• one count of financial transaction card theft
• one count of financial transaction card fraud
Yolanda Monique Oglesby is facing:
• one count of financial transaction card fraud
Blackwell is facing:
• two counts of selling of cocaine
• two counts of illegal use of communication facility
The same members of the Oglesby family and Blackwell were arrested on Nov. 7 by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Hart County Sheriff’s Office and the Hartwell Police Department following raids at both Ludi’s Soul Food and R&D Carwash as well as at the homes of R.C. and Steven Oglesby.
Law enforcement officials said then that the arrests were made following a lengthy investigation into the alleged scheme.
Strange was arrested in November and charged with two counts of racketeering, but was not charged in the indictment.
Tyqushia Oglesby was arrested in November and charged with misdemeanor obstruction of law enforcement.
R.C. Oglesby declined to comment on the case, but did say he is still working in his district and was available to help his constituents.
He and his family members are represented by attorney Tim Healy.  
 

R.C. OGLESBY'S FUTURE AS A COMMISSIONER
Because the indictment includes R.C. Oglesby, a county commissioner, a certified copy of the indictment has been sent to Gov. Kemp. State law says Kemp will appoint a review commission no sooner than 14 days after receipt of the indictment that includes the state attorney general and two county commissioners from other counties.
Although Oglesby has agreed to a suspension as part of the conditions of his bond, that suspension is part of an ongoing Superior Court case, meaning under state law, the commission will still review the case. Oglesby may voluntarily agree to a suspension. If there is no voluntary suspension, the commission will make a recommendation on whether Kemp should suspend Oglesby.
If such a recommendation is made, Kemp will have the discretion about whether to suspend Oglesby. If he is officially suspended by the governor, Oglesby would continue to receive compensation for his position under the law.
In the case of a suspension, the governor would then make an appointment to fill the vacancy on the board of commissioners. If Oglesby is acquitted or the charges are dropped, he would be immediately reinstated. If he is convicted, he would immediately vacate his seat.