PORTERDALE, Ga. — Porterdale business owner Julie Freeman has been arrested for the second time in less than a week, according to the Porterdale Police Department and Newton County Jail records.
Freeman was taken into custody on Monday, Sept. 29, around 3:30 p.m., on two additional misdemeanor counts of theft of services. She had gone to the Porterdale Police Department to retrieve belongings held after her earlier arrest, when officers informed her of a new warrant issued on Sept. 28.
Second Arrest in One Week
Freeman, owner of Yellow River Ale House and Sportsman’s Grille, was initially arrested on Sept. 26 on two theft-of-services charges after allegedly failing to pay two employees. She was released the next day on an $8,000 bond.
That arrest stemmed from a traffic stop involving her Jeep, driven by her husband and co-owner Chris Freeman, who was stopped for a suspended registration. Chris Freeman was also arrested separately on Sept. 27 for violating a temporary protective order.
Mounting Legal and Financial Troubles
The recent charges are only the latest in a series of legal issues involving Julie Freeman:
A Nevada medical company has accused Freeman of embezzling $5.6 million while serving as a contracted CFO. Freeman denies the allegations, and no criminal charges have been filed.
Freeman allegedly owes several months of back rent to the landlord of her Porterdale restaurants.
On Monday, landlord Hutch Bros LLC filed a motion in Freeman’s bankruptcy case seeking relief from an automatic stay, citing a cancellation of Yellow River Ale House’s insurance due to nonpayment. According to filings, GEICO canceled the policy on Aug. 1.
Her Covington shop, @Local Coffee House, closed in July after an eviction notice for unpaid rent. Although social media posts suggested it would reopen, the store has not resumed operations.
Freeman currently remains involved in ongoing bankruptcy proceedings while facing multiple local charges related to unpaid services.
