Teen arrested in gang-related vandalism at Georgia church

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Teenagers were arrested after a deputies found broken glass, chairs thrown into the ceiling, and other damage at Piney Woods Baptist Church on Rockmart Road in Buchanan.  (Haralson County Sheriff's Office)

BUCHANAN, Ga. - Authorities have arrested a 17-year-old and charged a juvenile in connection with an extensive vandalism and burglary at Piney Woods Baptist Church in Haralson County, where investigators say the Fellowship Hall was heavily damaged and defaced with gang-related graffiti.

Piney Woods Baptist Church vandalized

What we know:

Deputies responded to the church on Rockmart Road in Buchanan on July 8 after receiving a report of burglary and vandalism. Haralson County Sheriff's Deputy Seth Entrekin discovered widespread destruction inside the Fellowship Hall, including broken windows, spray paint on both the interior and exterior walls, and various objects—such as chairs, power tools, mops, and toilet plungers—embedded in walls and ceilings.

Sgt. Jason Bowman of the Criminal Investigative Division responded to the scene and launched an investigation. Authorities later obtained a social media video showing two male suspects committing the acts of vandalism inside the Fellowship Hall. The individuals were identified as 17-year-old Darren C. Stanley of Temple and a 16-year-old juvenile, whose name has not been released due to his age.

Stanley was arrested and charged with second-degree burglary, vandalism to a place of worship, second-degree criminal damage to property, conspiracy to commit a crime, and participation in gang-related activity. The juvenile faces the same charges through a juvenile complaint and was turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

The location has been the site of multiple vandalism incidents since February 2024.

Teenagers were arrested after a deputies found broken glass, chairs thrown into the ceiling, and other damage at Piney Woods Baptist Church on Rockmart Road in Buchanan.  (Haralson County Sheriff's Office)

SEE ALSO: North Carolina man arrested for car break-ins at Georgia churches

Haralson County Sheriff reacts

What they're saying:

"It is disappointing to see these young individuals make such a serious mistake, but there is always hope that they will learn from this and become productive citizens," said Haralson County Sheriff Stacy Williams. "This church closed for a while, but they are working to reopen and unfortunately, have been the target of several vandalisms over the last few months. The damage done by this last one was heartbreaking to see in a church building."

Williams urged other youth in the community to learn from the incident, saying, "You cannot break into buildings, and you cannot damage property that is not yours."

What we don't know:

The investigation remains active, and authorities say more charges or arrests are possible. 

What you can do:

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. Jason Bowman at 770-646-2011 or submit an anonymous tip at haralsoncountysheriff.org.