An Alpharetta man has been formally charged with kidnapping, battery and burglary by the Forsyth County Superior Court for allegedly attacking a woman at her home in Cumming in November 2018.
James Michael Sears, 45, was indicted by a Forsyth County grand jury on Monday, March 11, charged with kidnapping, two counts of burglary, two counts of battery, hindering an emergency telephone call and theft by taking.
Sears was taken into custody on Nov. 26, 2018 after surrendering to authorities at the Forsyth County Jail.
At the time of his arrest, Cumming Police Department Deputy Chief Aletha Barrett told the Forsyth County News that authorities had been searching for Sears since Nov. 8, after officers responded to a residence off Castleberry Road in Cumming and found that one woman had allegedly been attacked and was visibly injured.
The woman told officers that her estranged husband had allegedly broken into her home, took her cell phone, beat her such that she had visible injuries and "forcefully" dragged her down the stairs and out of her home, according to Barrett.
Over the next several days, a manhunt was conducted for Sears in Cumming, Forsyth County and Alpharetta, but the search and BOLO was unsuccessful in apprehending him. Eventually, Sears was located through his attorney after warrants were issued by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Barrett said.
Recent indictment documents reallege the claims previously made by Barrett, stating that Sears allegedly held the woman against her will during the incident and caused her bodily harm.
Court documents show that this case will be presided over by Superior Court Judge Philip C. Smith, and will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Scalia.
Other Forsyth County Superior Court indictments for March include:
● Alphonso Wallace Tollette has been formally charged with rape, statutory rape, aggravated child molestation and aggravated assault. Indictment documents allege that sometime between July 23, 2018 and Oct. 23, 2018, Tollette engaged in sexual intercourse with a person under 16.
● Lee Dontavious Peters has been formally charged with public indecency. Indictment documents allege that on Oct. 10, 2018, Peters “did perform a lewd exposure of his sexual organs” at a Forsyth County department store. It also states that he was previously convicted of similar offenses in Gwinnett and Fulton counties.
● Nickolai Robert Ghea has been formally charged with 16 counts of entering an automobile. Indictment documents allege that on Aug. 22, 2018, Ghea entered 16 vehicles with the “intent to commit a theft.”
● Matthew Antwain Dixon has been formally charged with impersonating an officer and obstruction of an officer. Indictment documents allege that on Dec. 11, 2018, Dixon “did falsely hold himself out as a DeKalb County Police Officer ... with the intent to mislead” an officer with the Cumming Police Department.