Ex-Deputy Weapon Sales
Former Thomas County Chief Deputy Faces Charges for Selling Department Weapons to Fund Addiction
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A former top law enforcement officer in Thomas County, Georgia, is now behind bars — charged with stealing his own department's guns to pay for drugs. Ron James, who served as chief deputy for the Thomas County Sheriff's Office for roughly 30 years, was booked into the Thomas County Jail on May 29, according to WFSB. The same jail where he began his career as a jailer three decades ago.
James faces 10 criminal charges: nine counts of theft and one count of violation of oath of office. The alleged thefts stretch back to 2018 — nearly eight years of missing weapons. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is handling the case, according to KAIT8.
Guns Traded for Drugs Over Nearly Eight Years
Investigators say James removed multiple firearms from the department's armory over several years. He allegedly traded or sold those guns to fund a growing addiction — first to prescription medication, then to methamphetamine. The stolen weapons are now in unknown hands, raising serious public safety concerns for Thomas County's 45,000-plus residents, according to WSAW.
On April 6, 2026, Sheriff Tim Watkins placed James on medical leave after James admitted to a prescription drug addiction. James asked for help through the county's Employee Assistance Program. But the admission opened the door to a wider investigation — and what came next made things much worse, according to KY3.
Video of Meth Use Prompts GBI Investigation
Two days after James was placed on leave, Sheriff Watkins asked the GBI to investigate missing firearms from the department's armory. Then, around April 20, someone gave Watkins a video. It showed James at his home, using a methamphetamine smoking device — while off duty, according to KFYRTV.
Investigators recovered the device. It tested positive for methamphetamine. James resigned from the sheriff's office on April 29, 2026 — before he was formally arrested. On May 29, the GBI booked him into the very jail he once helped run, according to 21Alive News.
Sheriff Says Department Was 'Shocked' by Betrayal
Sheriff Tim Watkins has been open about how the case hit his department. "The whole department was shocked," Watkins said. "We're a small town where everyone knows everyone. I tell all my deputies to treat everyone with dignity and respect — and that includes following the law ourselves." Watkins drew praise for calling in the GBI rather than handling the matter internally, according to KWCH.
A parallel scandal also emerged. A lieutenant named Jeff Brinson allegedly used a county credit card on James' guidance to buy a $250 personal multi-gym. The Georgia Department of Administrative Services shut down the sheriff's office's state account as a result. The county's Board of Commissioners has since called for a full compliance review, according to WDTV.
Stolen Firearms Still Unaccounted For, Reforms Expected
The biggest open question is where the guns are now. If James sold department weapons to strangers to fund his habit, those firearms are in unvetted hands. Legal experts note the "Violation of Oath" charge alone carries one to five years in prison under Georgia law — on top of the nine theft counts, according to KPTV.
The Thomas County Sheriff's Office is expected to put new rules in place. Those include requiring two sign-offs for armory access and random drug testing for command-level staff — a group often exempt from such checks in smaller departments. James was released after booking on a signature bond, a detail that has frustrated many in the community, according to Western Mass News.
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