Former Walker County Sheriff's lieutenant pleads guilty to theft
Amy Kathleen Bradley. Photo courtesy of Lookout Mountain Judicial Court District Attorney's Office
WALKER COUNTY, Ga. - A former lieutenant with the Walker County Sheriff’s Office has been sentenced to 20 years, including four years to be served in prison, after pleading guilty to stealing thousands of dollars in citation payments over several years.
What we know:
Amy Kathleen Bradley, who served at the Walker County Jail, entered a guilty plea on Feb. 27 to Theft by Taking following a multi-year investigation led by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
The case began in June 2021 when officials suspected Bradley had been pocketing cash payments made by individuals paying off citations issued in the county. GBI Special Agent Daniel Nicholson uncovered that the thefts occurred between 2018 and 2022, during which Bradley illegally diverted funds for her personal use.
In an interview with Agent Nicholson, Bradley confessed to the thefts. She was later charged with multiple counts of Theft by Taking and Theft by Conversion.
As part of her plea deal, Bradley was ordered to pay more than $70,000 in restitution to Walker County. In addition to her prison term, she must forfeit all law enforcement certifications and is permanently banned from working in any role involving law enforcement or financial handling.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Lynsay Chapman of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.
What they're saying:
"I want to thank the GBI for bringing us a strong case, and in particular Agent Nicholson, who is an indispensable asset for justice in our community," said District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller. "I don’t care if you wear a badge — you steal from the people, you answer for it. In the LMJC, no one is above the law."