Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office Major Arrested for Theft

Twiggs County, GA (January 26, 2021) – On Tuesday, January 26, 2021, the GBI arrested William “Chip” Samuel Stokes, 51, of Laurens County, and charged him with Theft by Taking and Violation of Oath of Office. Stokes was a Major with the Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office until he was terminated on Monday, January 25, 2021.

On Friday, January 15, 2021, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was requested by Twiggs County Sheriff Darren Mitchum to conduct a criminal investigation into a theft of over $1,500.00 from the Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office evidence room.

Preliminary information indicates that on Thursday, December 17, 2020, Twiggs County deputies conducted a traffic stop where a sum of money was recovered. The money was counted on video, packaged, and later secured in the Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office evidence room. On Monday, January 11, 2021, the Sheriff was made aware that the money taken during the traffic stop could not be accounted for. Sheriff’s Office personnel conducted several audits and searches of the evidence room but could not locate the money in question.

During the GBI investigation, it was discovered that Stokes had taken the money from the Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office evidence room.