A local builder was jailed Friday, March 10, after a Fannin County Grand Jury returned a 13-count indictment alleging he took nearly half a million dollars and never preformed work he promised.
Jason Eugene Bryson, 47, of 2865 Ada Street, Blue Ridge, the owner of Higher Ground Builders, was held without bond awaiting an appearance before a Superior Court judge. That was expected sometime this week.
Bryson is accused of Conversion of Payments for Real Property Improvements in the first 11 counts of the indictment and Theft of Services in the final two counts. The indictments were returned March 7, 2023, by the November 2022 term of the grand jury.
Investigations Captain Justin Turner of the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office said an investigation into Bryson’s activities began in August 2022. Between August and October 2022 Turner said he received 11 complaints, in addition to complaints that were referred to proper jurisdictions.
Turner said the complaints originated from out of town residents who had paid Bryson to build new homes at various locations throughout Fannin County.
Turner said when the residents began checking on the progress Bryson was supposed to be making, they found, “things weren’t moving per schedule” of the money he was being paid for work and materials.
One of Bryson’s victims was granted a pre-warrant hearing by Chief Magistrate Judge Brian Jones September 20, 2022. After hearing evidence, Jones issued a warrant for Conversion of Payments for Real Property Improvements and Bryson was immediately taken into custody. He was later released on bond.
Byrson was re-arrested by Fannin County deputies in mid-February 2023 on a Fugitive from Justice charge in connection with warrants out of Cherokee County, North Carolina. Cherokee County arrest records show he was booked into jail there on four counts of Obtain Property by False Pretense.
The Fannin County indictments indicate Bryson’s crimes began sometime around November 5, 2020, and continued through August 1, 2022.
Bryson filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection September 6, 2022, according to records for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
In that filing, he estimated between 100 and 199 creditors whom he owed between $1,000,001 and $10 million.
He estimated his assets between $100,001 and $500,000.
Bryson listed full or partial ownership in five businesses; Higher Ground Real Estate, LLC, Rockyscapes, LLC, Higher Ground Cabinets, LLC, Higher Ground Builders, LLC, and TruslerBryson Properties, LLC.
The last three filings in Bryson’s Chapter 7 case were identified as adversary proceedings and were filed by the bankruptcy trustee.
Two allege the fraudulent conveyance of property and the other asks to sell real property.