Deputies arrest wife of Clayton County Sheriff's opponent

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A candidate for Clayton County Sheriff said current Sheriff Victor Hill crossed the line when he had his wife arrested Wednesday.

Robert Hawes recorded the arrest from his Jonesboro home on Facebook Live. The Hawes' said Hill used the law as a personal tool to carry out vendettas against people he is angry with.

"My wife responded to him with an email saying ‘Where there is love, fear cannot exist.’ He took that as harassment. He took the email and got a warrant for harassing communication," Mr. Hawes complained.

FOX 5 News obtained a copy of the misdemeanor arrest warrant. It stated the wife and mother emailed Sheriff Hill three times and he requested she stop. The documents also state the subject of the emails was her husband's December 17, 2017 termination, not blessings and love.

Mrs. Hawes made her first appearance in court Thursday. The judge granted her bond with stipulations.

"You have a bond condition to have no contact with Sheriff Victor Hill," a Magistrate judge ordered.

“Yes, sir,” Mrs. Hawes responded to the judge

FOX 5 News contacted Sheriff Hill about the very public arrest and the allegation it was motivated by politics, but Clayton County’s top cop did not respond.

For now, his 2020 opponent is frustrated.

"Victor Hill uses the law as his personal tool for vendettas and we have to stop this. It has to stop. It has to stop!" an exacerbated Hawes exclaimed.