AUGUSTA, GA — The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) has issued a correction regarding the suspect arrested in a downtown burglary late Friday night. While initial reports identified the suspect as James Carrol Priester, 44, investigators have now confirmed the man’s true identity as Victor Oatman, 48, after fingerprint analysis revealed he had provided false information at the time of arrest.
Deputies responded quickly to a burglary in progress at Fifth and Fire on Broad Street after the business manager alerted 911 and shared a security camera image of the suspect. The image was immediately distributed as a BOLO to downtown units and the Intelligence and Real Time Crime Center.
Using the city’s downtown camera coverage, investigators tracked the suspect’s movements in real time. Within five minutes, deputies located and arrested the man on the 300 block of Ellis Street without incident. Stolen items from the business were recovered in his possession.
At the time of arrest, the suspect presented identification belonging to James Priester and claimed that was his name. Based on the ID, authorities initially released Priester’s name to the public. However, once Oatman was booked and fingerprinted, his true identity was discovered.
Oatman has now been formally charged with Burglary in the 2nd degree and giving a false name to law enforcement. He was transported to the Charles B. Webster Detention Center, where additional charges may be pending as the investigation continues.
The swift response highlights the effectiveness of RCSO’s downtown surveillance network and coordination between patrol units and the Real Time Crime Center. What began as a burglary in progress was resolved within minutes, ensuring stolen property was recovered and the suspect taken into custody.
Authorities emphasized the importance of accurate identification in criminal cases, noting that Oatman’s attempt to mislead deputies underscores the challenges law enforcement faces when suspects use false IDs.
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