PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — A 61-year-old man has been charged with theft and drug possession after he allegedly tried to sell a stolen dune buggy on Facebook Marketplace, according to the Paulding County Sheriff's Office.
Paulding County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Ashley Henson said detectives were contacted on June 29 by a Polk County resident about a stolen dune buggy.
Henson said the victim told detectives the dune buggy had been stolen from his home near Coots Lake Road in Polk County on Jan. 10, and that he spotted the vehicle for sale on Facebook Marketplace at a Paulding County residence.
According to Henson, the victim said he had made an appointment to meet with the alleged owner of the dune buggy at an address in the 1700 block of Crossroads Church Road in Rockmart. When the victim got there, a woman showed him the dune buggy for the alleged owner.
Henson said the victim immediately recognized the dune buggy as his, based on various modifications he had made - like the paint color being changed to blue and a different gear shift knob - that were exclusive to the custom build.
After the victim confirmed that the dune buggy was, indeed, his, he left the Paulding County residence and contacted detectives, Henson said.
A short time later, according to Henson, law enforcement, along with probation officers from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, arrived at the residence and spoke with the homeowner and alleged owner of the dune buggy.
The alleged owner, 61-year-old Lenny Scott Moody, was already on probation, Henson said.
According to Henson, Moody said he had bought the dune buggy - from someone detectives were never able to locate - at a price that was extremely below market for a vehicle of that nature. When detectives asked for a bill of sale, Moody produced a handwritten bill of sale from the same person that detectives were unable to locate, Henson said.
During their investigation, Henson said detectives and probation officers found a small amount of suspected methamphetamine in plain view while inside the home. Due to the fact that the victim had positively identified the dune buggy along with the fact that Moody's story did not add up, detectives continued to pursue their investigation.
Henson said the dune buggy was recovered and returned to the victim that day.
Due to the pandemic, Moody was not taken into custody on the day detectives were at his home, Henson said. At a later point, Henson said, warrants were secured and Moody was charged with theft by receiving stolen property, possession of methamphetamine, and felony probation violation.
Moody is being held without bond at the Paulding County Jail.
Anyone with additional information about the incident or any other details involving Moody is asked to contact detectives at the Paulding County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 770-443-3015.
