GBI Arrests Glennville Fire Chief on Child Molestation Charges

GLENNVILLE, Georgia – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has arrested and charged the Chief of the Glennville Fire Department following an investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse.

Dale Lehman Barnard, 66, of Glennville, was arrested and charged with Child Molestation, Aggravated Child Molestation, and Criminal Trespass. Barnard has been fire chief in Glennville since 2021.

According to authorities, on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, the Glennville Police Department responded to a 911 call from a minor who reported that Barnard entered his home and sexually assaulted him. Following the initial response, the Glennville Police Department and the Tattnall County Sheriff’s Office requested the GBI to take over the investigation the same day.

During the investigation, law enforcement recovered evidence from the residence that investigators say supports the minor’s account of what occurred.

Barnard was taken into custody and booked into the Tattnall County Jail.

The investigation remains active and ongoing. Once the case is completed, it will be presented to the Atlantic Judicial District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.