Authorities say a trusted insider at Acworth Municipal Court is now at the center of a massive cash scandal. Former court administrator Trevez Richards has been arrested after investigators alleged he siphoned more than $574,000 in cash bonds from the city’s court over a period of more than a year. Officials say he was placed on administrative leave in May 2025, resigned the next day, and was taken into custody last Thursday. He now faces a slate of felony charges.
According to Atlanta News First, Richards is charged with 18 counts of theft by taking, one count of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, one count of criminal interference with government property and one count of second-degree burglary. The arrest warrant cited in that report states that municipal court cash bonds were taken multiple times between November 2023 and April 2025, adding up to $574,702.
How investigators say it happened
Investigators told Channel 2 Action News that Richards is accused of repeatedly removing money from a secured city lockbox while he was court administrator. After he was placed on leave, they say he came back to the municipal court, shredded records and carried out three boxes of items. Neighbors recalled what they described as a roughly 30-minute standoff outside his home before he surrendered to the Cobb County Sheriff’s Fugitive Squad, according to reporting and photos. Those details were reported by WSB-TV.
City response and oversight
The City of Acworth says it launched an internal administrative investigation as soon as discrepancies in bond funds surfaced. City Manager James Albright told Atlanta News First that Richards was placed on administrative leave on May 5, 2025, and resigned the following day. The city then called in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office. Mayor Tommy Allegood said in a published statement that the city “feels betrayed” and has “zero tolerance for misconduct.”
Legal charges and what they mean
Among the charges is a RICO count under Georgia law. The Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute allows prosecutors to treat related crimes as a pattern of racketeering activity, which can significantly widen the case and increase potential penalties. Georgia courts and legal summaries note that OCGA § 16-14-4 covers a broad range of predicate offenses, including theft and fraud, and that RICO allegations can expand both criminal exposure and possible civil remedies, including forfeiture. Legal analysis and court opinions describe the law’s purpose and typical applications, and FindLaw provides background on how Georgia’s RICO statute has been used in similar prosecutions.
What happens next
Richards was arrested last Thursday and booked after the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Squad served the warrant. Prosecutors are now reviewing the arrest warrant, and the case remains pending. City officials say Acworth will fully cooperate with the investigation, and authorities have not released further details as the criminal process moves forward, according to reporting by WSB-TV.
