Bulloch County Schools Safety Director Todd Mashburn, a former Bulloch County sheriff’s captain, was indicted Tuesday in a racketeering and gambling sting reaching back to 2017. He has not been dismissed from his position, according to Bulloch County Schools Public Relations Director Hayley Greene.

Outgoing Macon-Bibb County District Attorney David Cooke announced Mashburn’s indictment, along with several others, during a news conference Wednesday, according to 13MAZ TV in Macon.

The gambling and racketeering investigation related to S&W Amusements made headlines in the summer of 2019 when several regional businessmen, including some from Statesboro, as well as a former Department of Revenue agent from Statesboro were arrested.

According to reports, the indictment said local convenience store owner Nital “Nick” Raval, 40, bribed Mashburn in 2017, with the then-deputy giving Raval a badge and deputy ID card, as well as fixing traffic tickets and providing law enforcement protection.

Mashburn, 50, was hired by the Bulloch County Board of Education in September 2018 to serve in the then new role of director of school safety, and began working on Oct. 1, 2018. At the time, Mashburn was a certified law enforcement officer and FBI National Academy program graduate with 25 years of policing experience.

“Todd Mashburn has been forthcoming with Superintendent Charles Wilson about the indictment stemming from alleged incidents that occurred during his employment with the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office,” Greene said in a statement emailed to the Statesboro Herald. “Mr. Masburn remains an employee in good standing with the Bulloch County Board of Education where he serves as its safety director. 

“All of Bulloch County Schools' employees must also submit to a full criminal history, fingerprinting, and Federal Bureau of Investigation background check prior to employment,” the statement read. “The results must be clear of any felony convictions in order to be considered for employment. All employees repeat this process every five years thereafter.”

Mashburn served with the Statesboro Police Department from 1994 to 1998. Then in two decades with the Sheriff's Office he rose to the rank of captain and led the BCSO's Training Division just prior to taking the job with the school system. 

When asked about Mashburn’s indictment, Bulloch County Sheriff Noel Brown declined to comment.

The indictments announced Wednesday also said Raval bribed Ron Huckaby, 55, a Georgia Department of Revenue agent at the time, in 2017 and 2018 with airline flights and a watch in exchange for confidential information about a competitor.

Huckaby’s involvement

Huckaby, who was a resident of Statesboro while he served as a Georgia Department of Revenue special agent-in-charge, was arrested and charged also in July 2019 with violating the state’s Racketeering and Influenced Corruption, or RICO, Act.

In 2019, Cooke said: “Huckaby is accused of accepting (from Raval) five sets of round-trip airline tickets valued at more than $2,000 and a $13,000 Hublot watch in return for influence and information.”

In addition to the bribery allegations, Huckaby was accused of using the Department of Revenue’s tax computer system in July 2017 “to provide private tax-related information regarding a competitor’s tobacco license to Raval,” Cooke said. “Such conduct is a violation of Georgia’s computer invasion of privacy statute.”

2019 arrests

Raval and Manoj J. Patel were arrested by GBI officers in July 2019. Raval was charged with violation of the Georgia Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), according to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.

At that same time, Raval and Patel were part of a civil forfeiture action. The forfeiture document read that the following items were seized: “United States currency, inventory, equipment and personal property” located at S&W Amusements Inc. on 301 South, as well as vehicles belonging to Patel and Raval, were seized. Raval’s vehicles included a 2019 Lamborghini Urus MP, a 2019 BMW X7, a 2018 Ferrari and a 2017 GMC Sierra.

Patel’s vehicles that were seized included 2015, 2018 and 2019 BMW X5s.

Previously, the Statesboro Herald reported in 2009 that Raval, who lived at a Moss Creek Circle address at the time, was charged with obstruction and keeping a gambling place. He was arrested after a former Bulloch County sheriff’s investigator questioned him about a business connection with Patel, who lived at a Circle Drive address at the time. Patel was charged then with commercial gambling and keeping a gambling facility. Patel was discovered to have been making illegal gambling payouts to customers who won on illegal electronic video poker and slot machines.

Other indictments Wednesday

Statesboro area businessmen Samir Patel, 53, also was indicted.

The indictment said 58 locations in Bibb, Bulloch, Chatham and Glynn counties were involved.  

Others indicted include Macon business owners Mukeshkumar Patel, 53; Manishkumar Patel, 43; Kunj Patel, 29; Hiren Patel, 37; Panth Patel, 34; former Ideal, Ga. police chief Ennis Odom; and Rahim McCarley, 25, who also was a Bibb County deputy at the time of the alleged racketeering enterprise.

Also, Savannah area business owners Manoj “Ray” Patel, 48; Bhunica Ambu, 32; Zankhana Patel, 32; Nimishaben Chaudhari, 33; and Parth Patel, 24.

Herald reporter Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.