QUITMAN, Ga. - State authorities arrested Quitman Police Chief Lawrence McGee on Wednesday after a Brooks County grand jury indicted the law enforcement leader for pocketing a handgun donated for an enforcement raffle.
Quitman police chief faces charges
What we know:
The GBI charged 44-year-old Lawrence McGee of Quitman with one count of Felony Theft by Taking and one count of Violation of Oath of Office. Deputies booked McGee into the Brooks County Jail on Wednesday after a grand jury returned an indictment and authorities secured an arrest warrant.
Missing raffle gun sparks probe
The backstory:
The Quitman Police Department received a donated handgun in January meant for a raffle at a regional traffic enforcement meeting, investigators reported. McGee kept the weapon for personal use and never entered it into the scheduled drawing.
The Brooks County Sheriff's Office discovered the alleged theft and requested a formal GBI investigation on Feb. 3.
Court hearing details pending
What we don't know:
It is not yet confirmed if McGee has hired an attorney to speak on his behalf. Authorities have also not announced whether a judge has set a bond amount or scheduled McGee's initial court appearance.
Georgia prosecutors take case file
What's next:
The GBI turned over the completed case file to the Southern Circuit District Attorney's Office for formal prosecution. Court officials will determine the next steps in the legal process as the case moves forward.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which detailed the criminal charges and arrest in an official agency statement, as well as the Brooks County Sheriff's Office.