WTOC Exclusive: Wayne Co. man who spent 136 days in jail set to file lawsuit

WAYNE Co., Ga. (WTOC) - For the first time, we’re hearing from a Wayne County man who spent more than 100 days in jail on rape and drug related charges before the area’s District Attorney revealed the investigation that led to those charges was riddled with police misconduct.

In 2024, that led to the charges being dropped and John Yonkosky walking out of jail as a free man.

Now, it could lead to a lawsuit that puts the people of Wayne County on the hook for a deputy’s lies.

This is a story we have been following for years that’s now poised to take another twist. The case revolves around Yonkosky - who was charged with criminal attempt to commit rape and other crimes.

He tells WTOC he didn’t do any of that.

Brunswick Judicial Circuit DA Keith Higgins said in a April 2024 press conference, he won’t try to prove otherwise because the investigator lied in collecting the evidence that put Yonkosky in jail. That is corroborated by a 200+ page GBI report.

In that press conference DA Higgins said, “We have an individual who is untrustworthy that can’t be trusted, we’re not going to prosecute cases based on his word.”

John Yonkosky, the man whose charges were dropped as a result, called that day the happiest one of his life.

“I got down on my knees and cried and prayed that day when they finally announced it,” said Yonkosky.

His longtime friend Weldon Lawson also had a rape charge - based on evidence from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office - dropped. Lawson was a deputy himself.

Sitting at a table next to Lawson and across from WTOC’s Tyler Manion, Yonkosky explained, “26 years on the force, he loses his job - pension everything. 41 years at my job, I lost my job - lost everything I got.”

The investigator DA Higgins called untrustworthy is named Brad Kicklighter and he still works at the Sheriff’s Office - as confirmed by the Sheriff, who declined our request for further comment.

The man who spent 136 days in jail, says he’d like to see Kicklighter spend time behind bars himself.

“I’d like to see him lose his job, him lose his house just like Tank and I have. We’ve lost everything, we’ve lost our lives,” said Yonkosky.

We asked both he and Lawson about the charges they faced.

“So investigators said several women had come forward with stories of being drugged by you... did you do that?” asked Manion?

Yonkosky answered, “No, I didn’t do that. And I don’t do it no more; I used to like going out and having a few drinks and buying shots for people and you know when a girl... a petite girl has four or five drinks and then four or five shots on top of that that’s ten drinks you know, anybody’s going to black out, but ain’t nobody blackout around me. They all just said they thought they got drugged by me.”

Lawson denied his accusation as well.

Manion questioned, “Plain and simple, did you rape anyone?”

“Absolutely not,” responded Lawson.

The investigator - Kicklighter - denied any wrongdoing too. We asked his attorney if they would do an interview or provide comment and were referred to a statement from last year.

On behalf of Deputy Kicklighter I would like to plainly state that the accusations that were lodged against him in this matter yesterday are behavior that he has not, is not, nor would he ever participate in at any time. Deputy Kicklighter is an Excellent and Honest Law Enforcement Officer whose main thoughts everyday are to do his best in keeping the Citizens of Wayne County and elsewhere safe from criminals who prey on law abiding Citizens. This is just another attack on our Law Enforcement Officer’s for just doing their jobs. I would respectfully just ask for everyone to wait until all the evidence comes out in this case to form an opinion as to what did or did not happen. I am very confident and have no doubt whatsoever that when all the facts are known in this matter Deputy Kicklighter will be totally vindicated and exonerated.

Brad Kicklighter’s attorney Keith Barber

Meanwhile, Lawson and Yonkosky are now represented by the same attorney - Roland Mumford - who says they will be filing a lawsuit.

Mumford said over the phone, “This pattern of behavior of malice is not only in Wayne County, but in Ware County and other local counties. Police misconduct - if we have issues of misconduct - and it rises to a level of malice that’s what is rooted in a malicious prosecution claim that we’re going to be filing against Bradley Kicklighter and possibly Wayne County in this particular case.”

He also said we can expect that lawsuit to be filed in the next several weeks.

Yonkosky talked about what he feels he and Lawson deserve from that suit.

“I think we ought to be compensated to live comfortable the rest of our lives.”