The GBI said Monday that they arrested three people in total related to the ongoing investigation into the Glennville Housing Authority.
On February 3, 2026, the Glennville Police Department requested the GBI to investigate allegations that funds were misappropriated from the Glennville Housing Authority.
In a press release Monday afternoon, the agency said agents arrested and charged Leslie Renae Clinton, age 54, of Hazlehurst, GA, Michael Lynn Jinks, age 51, of Glennville, GA, and Stephanie Lashae Thomas, age 54, of Glennville, GA, in connection with an ongoing investigation at the Glennville Housing Authority.
Clinton and Thomas were charged with Theft by Conversion and Jinks was charged with Theft by Deception.
As a result of the investigation, Clinton, Jinks, and Thomas were arrested on Monday, November 2, 2026, and booked into the Tattnall County Jail. As of 4:45 p.m., all three remained behind bars.
Jinks has a criminal history stemming from a previous case involving illegal drugs. He was named in the financial audit handed down in mid-October, which stated that Housing Authority payments to Michael Jinks “substantially exceeded” his annual bid for doing unit turnover work ($28,875). Jinks Home Improvement LLC, the business name he used for work, was not a registered business with the State of Georgia and he did not have liability insurance for the fiscal year.
Jinks, who previously worked as a Housing Authority employee before converting to an independent contractor in early 2025, received $248,700 during the fiscal year. Auditors reported that Jinks frequently received payments of approximately $4,500 per week, sometimes more than once weekly, regardless of the type or volume of work performed.
The Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General assisted in this investigation. This case is active and ongoing. Anyone with information can contact the GBI Statesboro Field Office at 912-871-1121.
Previous Coverage:
- Audit: Glennville Housing Authority Paid for Work at Employees’ Homes, $441K in Questionable Contractor Payments
- Glennville Housing Authority Saga Spans to McRae Housing Authority Where FBI is Already Investigating
- Glennville City Officials Replace 4 Glennville Housing Authority Board Members Amid Fraud Investigation
- Two Glennville Housing Authority Employees Terminated
