Quitman Police Chief Lawrence McGee, 44, faces felony theft and violation of oath of office charges in Georgia. Investigators allege he kept a donated handgun intended for a regional traffic enforcement meeting raffle. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) arrested McGee following a grand jury indictment handed down in Brooks County.
According to official statements released by the GBI, the Quitman Police Department originally received the handgun in January for a raffle associated with a scheduled regional enforcement meeting. Rather than entering the firearm into the official drawing, investigators allege that McGee kept the weapon for his own personal use.
Investigation Triggered by Local Sheriff’s Office
The sus**cious handling of the firearm came to light early in the year. The Brooks County Sheriff’s Office discovered the discrepancy and formally requested that the GBI launch an independent state investigation on February 3. State agents examined the logistics of the donation, tracking how the weapon entered the department inventory and where it ultimately ended up.
Following the completion of the inquiry, state investigators turned their case file over to the Southern Circuit District Attorney’s Office for formal prosecution. A Brooks County grand jury reviewed the findings and returned a formal criminal indictment against the law enforcement leader.
Booking and Legal Proceedings
Following the grand jury’s decision and the issuance of an arrest warrant, authorities booked McGee into the Brooks County Jail. He was later released after posting bond. The charges filed against the 44-year-old police chief include:
- One count of felony theft by taking
- One count of violation of oath of office
Court officials have not yet announced a scheduled date for McGee’s initial court appearance, and it remains unconfirmed whether he has retained legal counsel to represent him in the matter. The Southern Circuit District Attorney’s Office will manage the subsequent phases of the criminal prosecution as the legal process moves forward.
