Georgia police chief charged with stealing raffle gun for himself
A south Georgia police chief is accused of keeping a donated raffle gun for himself instead of letting it go up for grabs, and now he's facing felony charges over it.
Snapshot
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says Quitman Police Chief Lawrence McGee, 44, took a handgun that had been donated to his department in January 2026 for a raffle tied to a regional traffic enforcement meeting, and never entered it into the drawing. The Brooks County Sheriff's Office asked the GBI to look into the matter in early February, and McGee now faces two felony charges.
Key points
- The charges: According to the GBI, McGee is charged with felony theft by taking and violation of oath of office, both felonies under Georgia law.
- The allegation: The GBI says the donated handgun was meant for a raffle supporting a regional traffic enforcement meeting, but McGee allegedly kept it instead.
- How it surfaced: The Brooks County Sheriff's Office requested the GBI investigation on Feb. 3, 2026, after a theft allegation involving McGee came to light.
- What's at stake: If convicted, McGee could face prison time and lose his right to legally possess firearms going forward.
Quick take
Bearing Arms' Cam Edwards notes that if the allegations hold up, McGee picked one of the more self-defeating ways to end a law enforcement career, stealing a gun in a manner virtually guaranteed to be noticed once the raffle came and went. Edwards argues police chiefs carry an added duty to follow the same laws they enforce, and that McGee deserves the presumption of innocence but should face the same consequences anyone else would for taking a gun that wasn't theirs.
Read the full story: bearingarms.com