Sheriff’s deputy in Georgia caught selling marijuana to undercover agent
A young man smokes marijuana.
A small-town Georgia sheriff's deputy will face drug and firearms charges after he was caught selling marijuana to federal agents out of his very own squad car.
11Alive News reports that officer Darrell Mathis was selling marijuana to an undercover agent from May to September of 2013, twice blithely dispensing the illegal substance from his squad car.
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Statements from the FBI criminal complaint against Mathis, posted by CovNews, include the wayward officer commenting "Don't worry, I'm on your side" to an undercover cop, who had feigned surprise when Mathis flashed his badge.
"My office is completely cooperating with the FBI in this investigation," said Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown to 11Alive. "This is an embarrassment to the Newton County Sheriff's Office, as well as law enforcement in general. Mr. Mathis has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation."
Completely unsurprisingly, the moonlighting 40-year-old cop has been fired, reports CovNews.
Mathis could now face a fine of up to $250,000 and five years in jail for possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, while the firearm charge could carry a life term and upwards of $250,000 in fees.
Newton County has slightly over 100,000 residents and is located to the southeast of the city of Atlanta, while the county capital of Covington has proved an extremely popular spot for film-makers seeking a Southern ambience.
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