Police: Third Person Sickened by Suspected Poisoned Papers

Smyrna Police have charged a 51-year-old man with aggravated assault with intent to murder after a third person fell severely ill due to coming into contact with allegedly poisoned papers.

Little Gaston Stone is accused of delivering papers to Smyrna Second Baptist Church that police say exposed a church employee to a substance that caused her “severe illness.”

Stone is already facing two felony aggravated assault charges for delivering papers to Smyrna Police headquarters on Feb. 6 that left two officers with “extreme fatigue, chest pain, chest tightness, dizziness, and difficulty breathing,” according to his arrest warrant.

According to the initial warrant for his arrest, Stone entered the department headquarters, filming his visit on a tablet, and speaking about Gov. Brian Kemp. He handed two police officers papers intended for Smyrna Police Chief Keith Zgnoc. Just moments later, the officers reported their symptoms and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Police wrote in the new warrant detailing the additional alleged assault that the church employee had been out sick since Feb. 10, when she first found the papers under the church’s door.

According to police, the employee brought the papers into the church, where they were later located by the wife of Cloys Turner, pastor of Smyrna Second Baptist.

Turner’s wife then put the papers in her husband’s Bible, and Turner, upon reviewing the papers, noticed Stone’s name was the same from a news story detailing the incident at Smyrna Police headquarters, police wrote in the warrant.

The Smyrna Police officer investigating the incident contacted the ill church employee on March 12, who confirmed to the officer she was severely ill since Feb. 10.

The church employee “felt extreme fatigue, was sweating profusely, and felt like her chest was heavy” within five minutes of coming into contact with the paperwork, according to the warrant.

Her symptoms were consistent with those of the two officers who came into contact with the papers Stone allegedly delivered days earlier, the warrant says.

The warrant also noted the Smyrna Police building is adjacent to Smyrna Second Baptist Church on Atlanta Road, and that the church “is on the direct path known to be taken by Mr. Stone on the day of the (officers’) exposure.”

Stone was arrested Feb. 6, the same day he is accused of dropping the papers off at the police department. He is being held at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center without bond.

The FBI is testing the paperwork Stone brought to Smyrna Police headquarters.

In addition to being charged with aggravated assault — intent to murder, Stone is charged with two counts of aggravated assault against officers and misdemeanor violation of probation.

Stone was on probation at the time of his arrest, according to Cobb Superior Court records. In October, he pleaded guilty to terroristic threats made in April 2021. He was sentenced to 12 months probation.