Atlanta, Georgia Nov 11, 2025 (Issuewire.com) - A Georgia author says he has uncovered evidence of one of the most disturbing cases of corruption and cover-up in the state’s modern history. After more than three decades of investigation, Charles L. Sargent claims to have documented proof linking local law enforcement, prosecutors, and investigators to a series of concealed murders, drug trafficking operations, and miscarriages of justice in Henry County and the greater Atlanta area.
Sargent’s findings are detailed in two books, Sins of Henry County and Georgia’s Darkest Days, which chronicle what he describes as a “35-year fight for justice.” The author says his work reveals how powerful officials ignored or buried evidence in multiple murder cases, including the killing of an Atlanta police officer, Eugene W. Barge, a veteran officer who, according to Sargent’s research, was investigating a drug trafficking ring tied to individuals with political protection.
“This is not fiction,” Sargent said in an interview. “It’s a documented fact — evidence that’s been ignored, buried, or dismissed for decades. The people of Georgia deserve to know the truth.”
The case that first drew Sargent’s attention involved the murder of a local teacher and his 19-year-old mistress, who was pregnant at the time. The couple was found shot to death on Rock Quarry Road in Henry County during school hours. According to Sargent, the crime was hastily closed, and investigators failed to follow crucial leads.
On the same day, Officer Barge who was reportedly closing in on those involved in the same narcotics network was murdered in Atlanta under strikingly similar circumstances. Sargent claims the cases were connected and that the same perpetrators were responsible. Despite evidence tying the killings together, he alleges that once it became clear that Barge’s murder touched on an organized drug operation with links to local law enforcement and regional officials, the investigation was derailed. Key suspects were quietly released, and the case was buried under layers of political and institutional protection.
“When a police officer is murdered and the killers are protected, that’s not incompetence, that’s complicity,” Sargent said.
Over the course of 35 years, Sargent says he gathered thousands of pages of public records, case files, and interviews. His books piece together what he calls “a web of collusion between those sworn to enforce the law and those willing to break it.”
His first book, Sins of Henry County, traces the early stages of the investigation and outlines the alleged mishandling of evidence and official misconduct. The second, Georgia’s Darkest Days, expands on the case, exploring the connections between money, narcotics trafficking, influence, and criminal cover-ups across multiple jurisdictions.
“These books are more than stories,” Sargent said. “They are evidence. Every timeline, every document, and every witness statement is there for anyone who wants to see the truth.”
Sargent’s work has now drawn the attention of Atlanta filmmaker Dr. Eddy Von Muller, who is directing a documentary based on his decades-long investigation. The film, set for release in 2026, will present Sargent’s research alongside interviews with witnesses, legal experts, and law enforcement figures willing to speak on record for the first time.
“The documentary is about accountability,” Sargent said. “It’s about showing what happens when truth is silenced and justice is replaced by politics.”
Sargent believes the media plays a central role in bringing this story to light. He argues that awareness and scrutiny from journalists are more effective than traditional book promotion. “Advertising won’t change anything,” he said. “What matters is that reporters, editors, and investigators start asking the hard questions. If the media does its job, the truth will follow.”
He has repeatedly reached out to officials, former prosecutors, and journalists over the years, urging them to review the files and reconsider the conclusions drawn decades ago. Sargent says the evidence he’s collected proves that critical facts were ignored and that innocent lives were destroyed by official negligence or deliberate concealment.
“This is a story about accountability and courage,” he said. “When a justice system can allow a police officer’s murder to go unsolved because of who might be implicated, then the public’s trust in that system is already broken.”
Sargent says he remains committed to seeing justice served. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said. “But it’s never too late to tell the truth.”
Both Sins of Henry County and Georgia’s Darkest Days are available now on Amazon. Sargent says the books are meant to inform, not entertain. “If this can happen in Henry County,” he said, “it can happen anywhere in America.”
Sargent hopes his findings will prompt renewed attention from both the public and investigative journalists. “My goal isn’t fame or recognition,” he said. “It’s to make sure the truth is finally seen for what it is: undeniable, documented, and impossible to ignore.”
For interviews, document access, or review copies of the books, contact: https://www.facebook.com/charles.l.sargent
About the Author
Charles L. Sargent is an investigative author and researcher based in Georgia. For more than 35 years, he has pursued the truth behind unsolved murders, political corruption, and law enforcement misconduct in the American South. His independent investigation into Henry County’s most controversial cases has produced two acclaimed true crime books, Sins of Henry County and Georgia’s Darkest Days. Sargent’s work is the subject of an upcoming feature-length documentary directed by Dr. Eddy Von Muller, scheduled for release in 2026.
Media Contact
Charles L. Sargent Charlessargent876@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/charles.l.sargent
