I-TEAM UPDATE: Unrest between Burke County property owners has gone on for years
KEYSVILLE, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - In rural Burke County, the woods hide what happens off the main roads. Keysville is quiet, but hidden off of the road, is a loud fight between landowners.
We first told you about 35-year-old Jeremy Huffman, who was put in jail last week and charged with a felony after climbing a tree on his property and filming a large gathering next door on Facebook Live.
Incident reports document the ongoing dispute between Huffman’s family and a church organization called the Father’s Heart of GA, Inc., which owns the land right next door.
According to an incident report and names listed on the report, the group using the property was Rebirth Ministries, or Rebirth of a Nation.
Deputies have been called out to both properties nearly a dozen times over the past few years.
Our I-TEAM confirmed that several 911 calls came into Burke County dispatch after 10 p.m. on Oct. 24, the night of Huffman’s arrest, about noise coming from the property where this group stays.
It wasn’t just Jeremy Huffman and his family calling 911 for help. Several calls came into dispatch from different neighbors in the surrounding area.
According to the group, they promised quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., which was written in a letter to Sheriff Alfonzo Williams from The Father’s Heart of GA, Inc., dated Oct. 7, 2024.
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That wasn’t the only time dispatch received 911 calls on that night about noise coming from that property.
At around 6:30 p.m., several different neighbors called dispatch to complain about loud noises and gunfire coming from Quaker Road.
Some neighbors reported hearing gunfire “all day” and what sounded like automatic weapons being fired from the property, according to 911 recordings.
Dispatch tells multiple callers a deputy was sent out to the area. Dispatch also said their deputies were doing checks in the area the night Jeremy Huffman was arrested.
Unrest between the Huffmans and these organizations started well before Huffman’s arrest last week. The first report is from nearly two years ago, on Oct. 30, 2022.
The report says Huffman called Burke County deputies to his home because his neighbors were shooting firearms for hours. Huffman says while standing on his property with his wife and kids, they heard 3 ricochets hit some nearby trees.
Deputies could also hear shots being fired.
Deputies went next door, where they found four black males carrying portable radios on a golf cart with an open gate. The men began speaking on the radios and quickly shut the gate when they spotted the deputy.
The report says one male stated they were shooting in a safe area. The report says the unknown subject stated that some people are shooting on the property but the area they are shooting at is surrounded by dirt berms and trees.
Deputies asked for their information, but they refused to provide it, and denied the deputy from entering the property.
Deputies were unable to make with the person in charge of the property and no further action was taken.
June 4, 2023
Huffman called deputies to his home and said his neighbors were standing on the property line staring at him and his family. No action was taken.
July 11, 2023
Deputies were called out by Jimmy Harris, who owns the property next to Huffman. He’s in charge of the Father’s Heart of GA, Inc.
Harris explained that Huffman plays loud noises constantly. Deputies found Huffman had speakers facing toward Harris’ property. Huffman did turn the music down.
July 17, 2023
Deputies responded again to Harris’ property for loud music. The report says Huffman was playing music at an inappropriate volume “24/7″ with the speaker facing his residence. The report says these issues stem from Harris trying to buy Huffman’s land, and when they had a worship gathering last year called “The Feast of Tabernacles” that lasted 7 days.
Deputies went to Huffman’s house next door where he was told to turn his music off or down to not disturb his neighbors.
The report says Huffman told deputies last year their neighbor’s music played every night and they could not hear inside their home.
Sept.12, 2023
Deputies responded to Harris’ property for loud music. They met with Brandon Burts, Jimmy Harris’ son, who says Huffman has been playing loud music for five months from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day with speakers pointed at his house on the property line. Deputies did not make with Huffman.
Sept. 23, 2023
Deputies were called out by the Huffmans for a noise complaint on Harris’ property. There was nothing deputies could do.
Oct.19th, 2023
The Huffmans called deputies again for a noise complaint for loud music coming from Harris’ property, including singing, loud talking, and drums.
In the report, the Huffmans stated “It is unfair that the people at 5800 Quaker Road could do whatever they wanted, but she and her husband are threatened with arrest if they play music loud.”
The deputy mentioned the recognized quiet hours for the group are to be from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
No action was taken in the report.
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A document sent to the sheriff’s office from the Father’s Heart of Georgia, Inc. says they hold private religious events.
The letter says residents will be celebrating one of their annual Feast Days beginning Thursday, October 17, through Saturday, October 26.
Privacy wall tarps will help with lights, sound and privacy. They’ll have roving guards on the property for safety purposes against unauthorized personnel, predators, or animals.
The I-TEAM took your questions to the county about a possible firing range and noise ordinance.
the county says there is no noise ordinance, but they did approve a disorderly conduct ordinance in 2017.
This could apply to anyone who makes an unreasonably loud and unnecessary noise to the disturbance of the peace of the surrounding area or neighborhood.
the county says they do not regulate private firing ranges, though the property is owned by a business.
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Who are these organizations?
The Father’s Heart of GA, Inc.:
This organization owns the property right next to Jeremy Huffman on West Quaker Road in Keysville, Georgia. Jimmy L. Harris is listed as the CEO of the organization with an address out of Grovetown, Georgia.
Harris originally formed The Father’s Heart, Inc. in 2010, but had a voluntary dissolution in 2015. That same year, in 2015, Harris started The Father’s Heart of GA, Inc.
The organization is listed as a Domestic Nonprofit Corporation on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website.
- CEO Jimmy Harris with an address in Grovetown.
- Secretary listed is Sha’Ronda Dugger with an address in Augusta.
- CFO listed is Ashley Motley with an address listed in Augusta.
Rebirth of a Nation HNB Co:
This organization is listed as a Domestic Nonprofit Corporation on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website. The nonprofit organization is d with Joshua Cullins who is listed as the complainant on the incident report on Oct 24, 2024 from Jeremy Huffman’s arrest.
The nonprofit was formed in 2021.
- CFO is Joshua Cullins with an address listed in Anderson, South Carolina.
- CEO is Morris Williams Jr. with an address listed in Augusta, Georgia.
- Secretary is Kimberly Batiste with a listed address in Louisiana.
Rebirth Ministries:
- Listed on the incident report from Oct 24, 2024.
- Joshua Cullins was listed as the complainant in the report from Jeremy Huffman’s arrest. His name is tied to Rebirth of a Nation HNB Co.
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