Former County Employees Charged With Theft

CANTON, GA — Two former Cherokee County employees have been charged with theft related to their roles at the Blalock Road Recycling Facility. Canton resident Michael Johnson, 54, and Rodney Popham, 49, of Ball Ground were arrested Friday and charged with felony theft by taking, the Cherokee Marshal's Office said.

Both men have been booked into the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center with a $4,875 bond, and have been fired from their positions with the county, the agency added. The news comes two days after the county announced the abrupt closure of the facility, which is located near Badger Creek Park in Canton.

Both men are accused of "accepting money from a third party for access to the metal that had been dropped off at the recycling center," Marshal's Office spokesperson Jay Baker said. The alleged thefts came to light while the Marshal's Office was working on a reorganization plan for the Recycling Center. The allegations of theft were made during the overhaul, which prompted the Cherokee Sheriff's Office to launch an investigation to coincide with an internal probe.

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The criminal investigation, which remains ongoing, led to the arrest of Popham and Johnson. Chief Marshal Ron Hunton said Johnson worked for the county for 15 years while Popham had 13 years under his belt.

"First, I would like to thank the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office for their expertise and hard work during this investigation," Hunton added in a statement. "While the allegations against these two are troubling, the actions of these two employees in no way reflect negatively on the many other county employees who work diligently to serve the citizens of this county. We will work to re-open the center in some capacity as soon as possible. Citizens can take their household recyclables to the facility at Hobgood Park and their household trash to a number of commercial landfills in the county.”

Hunton said since the case remains active, no other details about the men's alleged actions will be released at this time. Return to Patch for updates.

Photo: Michael Johnson, left, and Rodney Popham. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff's Office