A former Bulloch County man apparently thought two wives were better than one when he married a woman without divorcing his first wife, authorities said.

Eli Demetrius Porter, 26, who now lives on Magnolia Boulevard in Port Wentworth, obtained a marriage license from the Bulloch County Probate Court earlier this year to marry Shanice Sharda Brown, 24, who also now lives in Port Wentworth, said Bulloch County Sheriff Lynn Anderson in a news release issued Tuesday.

The couple were living in Bulloch County at the time, but recently moved to Port Wentworth, he said.

However, probate court personnel discovered that "Porter was in fact still married to his first wife" in spite of his having "sworn that he had not been previously married," Anderson said. "Porter was contacted by the probate court and ordered to return the marriage license, which he did."

It was too late, however. The license had been signed by a minister, "indicating that Porter had married Shanice Brown anyway," the sheriff said.

Brown denied knowing Porter was already married, but further investigation revealed she had been informed Porter had never been divorced from his first wife.

"She knew there was a matter of question" regarding Porter's marital status, Bulloch County sheriff's Chief Deputy Jared Akins said.

Sheriff's investigators were notified Aug. 28 of the situation, where Porter had "apparently sworn falsely on his application to obtain a marriage license ... (Porter) had sworn that he had not been previously married," Anderson said.

After further query, sheriff's investigators charged Porter with one count of false swearing and one count of bigamy. Brown was charged with one count of marrying a bigamist.

They were arrested and taken into custody Monday. Each charge is a felony. Both Porter and Brown were released on bond.

Holli Deal Bragg may be reached at (912) 489-9414.