DOUGLAS, Ga. (WALB) — A jury found James A. Sirmans guilty in a case tied to the ongoing Johnson Funeral Home investigation in Douglas.

Sirmans was found guilty on Wednesday, June 4, of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and insurance fraud, according to information in court documents.

Court records show Sirmans is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25 at 3 p.m. in Coffee County.

Bond conditions

According to court documents, Sirmans’ bond conditions include:

• He is not allowed to leave Coffee County, except to attend church in a neighboring county.
• He was ordered to surrender his passport to the sheriff.
• He cannot possess drugs, alcohol, or firearms.

Background

Sirmans was arrested in December 2024, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) previously said.

The GBI said those charges stemmed from a 2023 investigation into an attempt to fraudulently obtain additional life insurance proceeds by altering the cause of death on a 2022 death certificate.

Sirmans’ arrest was announced as part of a broader investigation that began after deputies found 18 bodies in various stages of decomposition inside Johnson Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Douglas during an eviction on Oct. 26, 2024, according to prior releases.

Chris Johnson faces dozens of charges, including:

• Abuse of a dead body
• Abandonment of a dead body
• Insurance fraud
• Violation of Vital Records Registration
• Felony Theft by Taking
• Misdemeanor Theft by Taking
• Felony Theft by Deception
• Misdemeanor Theft by Deception
• First-Degree Forgery

There are no upcoming proceedings in Chris Johnson’s case that WALB is aware of. The investigation into Johnson Funeral Home remains ongoing. Officials said once the investigation is over, the case will be turned over to the Waycross Judicial Circuit for prosecution.

This is a developing story. Stay with WALB as we continue to track updates in court and from investigators.

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