Georgia: Hurt, emaciated Pit Bull seized in drug arrest; owner/convicted felon Thomas Latham charged with animal cruelty

GEORGIA -- A call from a landlord in Murray County led to the arrest of three people and charges of animal cruelty against a man who had a dog in a box in the back of his truck.

The dog was so emaciated a bone was rubbing a pressure sore through its skin, according to an incident report.

Four dogs were found during the arrests, but an official with the Animal Control office in Murray County said only the one dog was in bad shape.

One of the dogs was released to the family of the man arrested and one was adopted on Monday.

Along with the malnourished dog, another remains in custody of Animal Control, which is tending to the dog's medical needs.

Thomas Christopher Latham, 38, of 1099 Davenport Road in Dalton, was charged Sunday by the Murray County Sheriff’s Office with cruelty to animals, possession of meth, criminal trespass, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of drug-related objects and possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a felony.

According to the incident report from the sheriff's office, deputies received a call from a landlord complaining someone had entered a rental trailer without permission and caused some damage.

When deputies arrived, Latham tried to run but was quickly caught.

Another male and a female fled into a nearby trailer. The pair — Herman Bradford Martin and Chandra L. Whitcomb, both of an 835 Davenport Road address in Dalton — were arrested when Whitcomb tried to give officers a false name and Martin refused to come out from behind a pile of lumber he was hiding behind and also for being in possession of a metal marijuana pipe with residue. He was charged with obstruction of an officer and possession of drug-related objects.

After the arrests, deputies found the dogs in the back of Latham's truck. The dog which prompted the animal cruelty charge was described in the report as a dark-colored male pit bull mix that was "severely emaciated due to lack of feeding and had two wounds."

OFFENDER INFO:
NAME: THOMAS CHRISTOPHER LATHAM
GDC ID: 0001067488
YOB: 1978
RACE: WHITE
GENDER: MALE
HEIGHT: 5'07''
WEIGHT: 185
EYE COLOR: BROWN
HAIR COLOR: BROWN
SCARS, MARKS, TATTOOS

INCARCERATION DETAILS
MAJOR OFFENSE: AGGRAV ASSAULT
MOST RECENT INSTITUTION: PHILLIPS STATE PRISON
MAX POSSIBLE RELEASE DATE: N/A

STATE OF GEORGIA - CURRENT SENTENCES
CASE NO: 535390 
OFFENSE: AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
CONVICTION COUNTY: MURRAY COUNTY
CRIME COMMIT DATE: 07/14/2003
SENTENCE LENGTH: 10 YEARS, 120 MONTHS, 0 DAYS

CASE NO: 535390 
OFFENSE: POSS METHAMPHETAMINE
CONVICTION COUNTY: MURRAY COUNTY
CRIME COMMIT DATE: 03/29/2001
SENTENCE LENGTH: 10 YEARS, 0 MONTHS, 0 DAYS
STATE OF GEORGIA - PRIOR SENTENCES

CASE NO: 469756 
OFFENSE: POSS METHAMPHETAMINE
CONVICTION COUNTY: MURRAY COUNTY
CRIME COMMIT DATE: 03/29/2001
SENTENCE LENGTH: 10 YEARS, 0 MONTHS, 0 DAYS

STATE OF GEORGIA - INCARCERATION HISTORY
INCARCERATION BEGIN: 06/28/2001
INCARCERATION END: 07/30/2001

INCARCERATION BEGIN: 12/16/2003
INCARCERATION END: 07/06/2013

(Dalton Daily Citizen - Mar 7, 2017)