Three Indicted in Southern District of Georgia on Charges Including Murder and Fraud
A federal grand jury has charged three men with offenses including first-degree murder, health care fraud, and drug-related firearm crimes.
2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 24, 2026, 5:41 p.m. ET
Earlier reports
Aug 24, 2026, 5:41 p.m. ETFirst report
Three indicted in Southern District of Georgia on charges including murder and fraud
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia has charged three men in connection with separate alleged crimes, according to a report by wrdw.com. The charges were announced on August 24, 2026, and the case is still developing.
Perry Patalano, 63, of Augusta, faces charges of health care fraud, theft of government money, property or records, and aggravated identity theft. Robert Kye Sturdy, 67, an inmate at Federal Correctional Institution Jesup, is charged with first-degree murder. Lenard Lorenzo Kearse, 38, of Rincon, is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
The charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General is among the investigating agencies, according to wrdw.com. The cause of the alleged offenses has not been determined, and the case remains at the charging stage.
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- Version 124 Aug 2026, 21:54current
First published.
- Version 124 Aug 2026, 21:41current
First published.
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