Local

Gwinnett roundup nabs 19 violators

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County authorities say they put a dent in the number of felons roaming the suburban streets during a major probation sweep.
 
Channel 2's Tony Thomas followed sheriff's deputies and probation officers as they snuck up on a Buford-area house looking for a wanted man.
 
They've had trouble at the home before and were on high alert as they approached.
 
Once inside deputies found an angry family who denied Jonathan Mayfield was there. Twenty minutes later the team walked out with Mayfield in handcuffs, along with his father for denying his son was there.
 
Thomas was there as nearly a dozen teams of deputies fanned out across Gwinnett County Tuesday night, trying to find as many of the 130 felony probation violators in the county as they could.
 
"It's like hide and seek, looking for humans," said Sgt. James Redfern, with the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office.
 
In all, deputies arrested 19 violators who are wanted on everything from traffic charges to assault.
 
Deputies said it was a disappointing night, discovering many people had moved.  
 
"Every time we go out it's hit or miss," Redfern said. "You get a lot of people out there that they think they can get away with it. And that we are not going to come looking for them."
 
Deputies say many times they have to go to two or more addresses before they are able to track down just one of the violators.