Former Bailiff and Firefighter Charged with Selling Fake CPR Certifications

Lafayette, IN, October 5, 2026 —

Thomson, Georgia – Authorities have charged a former bailiff and firefighter, James Ed Lewis, with allegedly selling fraudulent CPR certifications to employees of local daycare and adult care facilities. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) announced the charges following an investigation into the validity of certifications provided by Lewis.

Lewis, a resident of Thomson, Georgia, faces accusations of filing false documents and theft by taking. The GBI determined that the CPR certifications Lewis distributed were invalid, prompting the investigation and subsequent charges. The investigation focused on the alleged sale of these certifications to staff members at various daycare and adult care centers in the local area.

Details regarding the specific number of facilities or employees affected by the alleged fraudulent certifications were not immediately available. Similarly, the exact timeline of the alleged sales and the period over which the invalid certifications were distributed also remains unconfirmed.

The GBI’s investigation concluded that Lewis had indeed provided certifications that did not meet the required standards for CPR training. The charges filed, filing false documents and theft by taking, reflect the seriousness of these allegations. The contractor’s name was not provided.

Information regarding Lewis’s arrest status, pending court dates, or specific details pertaining to the theft by taking charge were not disclosed by the GBI at the time of this report. The investigation is ongoing, and further details are expected as the case progresses through the legal system.

Story summarized from the original created by Ethan Hunter, Gray News staff on www.wlfi.com, see more information here.

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