A defiant Russell “Georgia Transparency” Pickron Jr. stood in front of the Talbot County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office Thursday night promising retribution for his Thursday arrest that saw the YouTuber mocked after being arrested on his livestream earlier in the day.
Pickron livestreamed from outside the Talbot County Board of Education on Thursday when he announced he was being detained by Talbot County deputies for “working on a story” and told his fans that if he was arrested, he’d be at the Talbot County jail.
The situation at the scene escalated quickly as Pickron claimed that he had not been asked to leave by school board officials. He also complained loudly that he was asked to surrender his driver’s license without being charged with a crime.
An investigator on the scene attempted to assist Pickron, by reminding him that he was not yet under arrest for disorderly conduct and attempted to diffuse the situation. The investigator explained that people were disturbed by his actions at the school and that children were present.
Pickron and the investigator bickered about Pickron’s detainment with Pickron sharing to his audience that he was being detained after he attempted to file an open records request and had asked to speak at the school board meeting.
The investigator entered the school board headquarters only to return to place Pickron under arrest for disorderly conduct. The same investigator worked with Pickron to secure his property and his vehicle, promising Pickron a ride back to the school should his car not be towed.
Pickron’s handcuffs would later be removed, and he was allowed to broadcast as he was put in the back of a squad car and transported to the Talbot County jail. The livestream ended at the request of investigators before he was escorted into jail.
After fans paid his bond Thursday evening, Pickron announced on a livestream that his charges had been downgraded from disorderly conduct to loitering. He accused members of the board of education of lying, which led to his arrest and promised that “it all will be exposed” in a planned Friday video release.
Pickron reminded his fans on the later livestream that everyone had the right to peacefully redress their government but hoped that his fans wouldn’t call “every agency in Talbot County” to complain about his arrest.
He promised to fight the charges and would be pursuing action against Talbot County in Federal court.
Thursday’s arrest was just the latest in a long string of arrests for the YouTuber and comes roughly a year after Pickron and YouTuber Lana “J-Town Press” Patrick made headlines for refusing to leave the Marshall County Revenue Office.
Patrick was arrested in the incident after refusing to leave the office as it was determined that neither YouTuber had “legitimate business” in the office. Patrick was sentenced to 485 days in jail, with 305 days suspended for her actions. Patrick’s appeal of her conviction is on-going.
This is a developing news story.
