A former Jones County poll worker received a prison sentence in federal court last week after pleading guilty in February to the charge of conveying false information and making hoaxes.
Nicholas Wimbish received a sentence of 20 months to serve in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. The Sept. 18 sentence by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell included a $2,000 fine.
According to documents submitted to the court, Wimbish was employed as a poll worker at the Jones County Elections Office Oct. 16, 2024, and had a verbal altercation with a voter. Evidence found on Wimbish’s computer showed he did some research and then drafted a letter posing as the voter and threatening to bomb the polling place. The letter was sent to the Jones County Election Superintendent Marion Hatton.
A press release about the sentence stated that Wimbish admitted he intended the letter to appear as if it came from the voter. The case was investigated by the Gray Police Department and then turned over to the FBI.
Wimbish was arrested Nov. 4 and made his initial appearance in the Middle District of Georgia Nov. 5. He was indicted by a federal grand jury Nov. 19, 2024, and charged with mailing a bomb threat, conveying false information about a bomb threat, mailing a threatening letter and making false statements to the FBI.
He was facing a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the offenses.
Wimbish was one of four interns from Georgia College and State University who volunteered in Jones County’s 2024 May primary election as well as November’s presidential election. Unlike the other students, Wimbish was also working toward a graduate degree.
The initial complaint was received by the Jones County Sheriff’s Office Oct. 22, after the letter was received at the Elections Office. Gray Police Department Lt.
Thaxton Pennamon was dispatched to the call due to the Government Center being located within city limits.
The initial report focused on the irate voter, who was the first person of interest. After taking the report, Pennamon took possession of the letter as evidence and contacted GPD Investigator Maj. Mark Robinson.
In a story about the arrest in The Jones County News, Robinson stated he was at home when Pennamon called him about the letter, and he came back to the office. He said based on the information received at that point, the investigation narrowed to the voter being a person of interest, and he tried to contact him.
The attempt was unsuccessful, and the major said he reached out to a contact in the FBI the next morning because the letter was mailed and the nature of what was in it.
The agent returned the call within the hour, and the letter was turned over to the FBI.
Robinson said the FBI took over the investigation from there, but he assisted with the interviews.
The major admitted, when he turned over the case, he had an uneasy feeling that the letter was not what it had at first appeared.
Ultimately the investigation shifted to Wimbish, and the letter was found on his home computer.