Deputy Charged With Taking Drugs From Evidence Room

CANTON, GA -- A deputy with the Cherokee Sheriff's Office has been charged with stealing narcotics from the agency's evidence repository.

Jasper resident Jeffrey Goettel, 41, was arrested Saturday, July 23 and is charged with violation of oath of office, possession of a schedule II narcotic and felony theft by taking, Lt. Jay Baker said.

The investigation started when an unannounced audit of drugs in the repository revealed "missing narcotics that had been marked for destruction," Baker said.

Cherokee County Sheriff Roger Garrison requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the District Attorney's Office to conduct an investigation into the missing drugs. That probe revealed that Goettel, who was in charge of the repository, allegedly stole morphine and oxycodone, Baker added.

"It appears that these drugs were taken for personal use (and) not for resale," Garrison said, adding none of the drugs taken were evidence in any pending cases.

When questioned by detectives, Goettel confessed to the thefts, Baker added. To ensure the integrity of the department's evidence repository, Garrison will utilize Eason Investigative Services, a Dawsonville-based private firm, to conduct a complete audit of items in the room.

"I will not tolerate acts of misconduct within this agency," the sheriff added. "We will ensure these type cases are prosecuted to the fullest extent."

Goettel, a 17 year veteran of the Cherokee Sheriff's Office, was released Sunday morning on a $39,300 bond, and is currently on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

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Image via Cherokee Sheriff's Office