Deputies: Man buried gun outside before hearing

A metro Atlanta man knew he wouldn’t get through metal detectors at the Forsyth County courthouse with a loaded gun, author- ities said.

His solution? Bury the gun outside and return for it later.

Deputies w atched on court surveillance footage as 23-year-old Sheldon Oliver dug up some gravel out- side the courthouse in Cumming and buried a Louis Vuit- ton bag with his handgun, sheriff’s spokesman Cpl. Doug Rainwater confirmed to AJC.com.

He made it through the metal detector just fine, Rainwater said, but he was arrested shortly after.

Oliver was set to appear in Forsyth County State Court on Sept. 11 for an arraignment on misdemeanor charges of loitering and criminal trespass. That hearing was reset after he was arrested on charges of reckless conduct and carrying a weapon without a license.

When they confronted him, deputies also realized Oliver had an active warrant for first-degree burglary in connection with a break-in at an Islamic center.

He is being held in the county jail in lieu of $25,430 bond, jail records show.

Rainwater said the sher- iff ’s office takes no chances with safety at the courthouse. Four years ago, a man who identified as a sovereign citizen attacked the Forsyth County courthouse and wounded a deputy before dying in a hail of bullets.

Officials said Dennis Marx drove his SUV through the courthouse lawn, threw out homemade smoke grenades, pepper spray grenades and spike sticks, and was killed when deputies returned fire.