Cedartown man faces charges of enticing a child
by Melody Dareing
Sep 12, 2012 | 5047 views | 3 3 comments | 14 14 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Thomas Benefield
Thomas Benefield
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An elderly Cedartown man face a criminal charge after he allegedly solicited several juvenile girls for sex, according to police.

Thomas Benefield, 76, of 2022 Collard Valley Road, Cedartown, was arrested Sept. 6 on a charge of enticing a child for indecent acts, according to Polk County Jail records.

Police said they received a call around 2 p.m. Sept. 1 with the complainant stating a white male in a green Ford Escort had been approaching juvenile girls in the Jones Street area for sex.

Officials said there was one main complainant on record, but officers discovered that there were possibly more instances with other children as they continued their investigation and began interviewing people in the area.

Cedartown Assistant Police Chief Jamie Newsome said he doesn’t know how widespread the complaints are at this time.

“We have obtained complaints of the same nature we are investigating,” he said.

A warrant for Benefield were taken out Sept. 6 and he was arrested at his home shortly after midnight. Benefield was released on a property bond later that day.

Comments
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reneabenefieldsutton
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September 12, 2012
why isn't my comment showing.

reneabenefieldsutton
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September 12, 2012
The facts of this story is untrue and misleading. He was in the area often selling chickens and eggs to the Hispanic family's and they often come to his house to but chickens and goats. He only had 1 warrant and that was for an older Hispanic girl that he refused to give money to. He was arrest around midnight not noon and set in jail all night till the morning to see the judge. Not released 30mins after booking. I know this to be true because I was there with him through it all and will continue to be until this is cleared. I am his daughter. The power of the pen can create such an ugly picture of such a beautiful heated 76 year . Wrong facts can ruin a good man names just for being a good man. shame on you.
alphonzo
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September 12, 2012
Is it untrue that your father was arrested for enticing a child, Renea? Because then that would be truly misleading journalism worth of shame.

Maybe his offer to sell a chicken to a little hispanic girl was lost in translation?

Ms Dareing tends to mess up facts in articles she writes, but there is a public record that this man was arrested for soliciting sex with children. That does not mean he is guilty, the court takes care of that.

The times he was booked and released are irrelevant to this article and the crime he is accused of and don't really "create such an ugly picture" of the "good heated 76 year old" like you're saying. His being arrested for soliciting sex to minors does. mmkay?

So please Ms Benefield Sutton, if that is your real name, pick your battles and take your case to the court and the police, not the a reporter writing about what happened.



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