Corrections officer fired, facing charges

A Carroll County corrections officer has been fired, after deputies charged him with stealing from the county and violating his oath.

Mike Huckeba worked at the Carroll County Prison on Horsely Mill Road for the last year and a half. He has been in jail since Friday morning, when deputies said he held his ex-wife at gunpoint at her home in Roopville.

"It put the situation basically at, you could say, a hostage situation," Chief Deputy Brad Robinson told Channel 2 investigative reporter Jodie Fleischer.

He said deputies got a 911 call from Huckeba's ex-wife's home, then spent about an hour trying to coax Huckeba and his wife out of a locked bedroom, not realizing how serious the domestic situation was.

"Huckeba's son who was there, got frustrated, kicked the door open, with the deputy there and at that time, the deputy saw Huckeba had a gun," said Robinson.

Deputies said the hostage situation lasted another 20 minutes, then an investigator convincedHuckeba to surrender peacefully. Deputies believe the motive was their questioning of him the day before over allegations that he stole gasoline from county pumps, and smuggled contraband into the prison where he worked.

Fleischer obtained cellphone pictures, taken by Huckeba's ex-wife, showing what deputies believe to be packages received from families of inmates. Another photo shows Huckeba standing at a counter, purportedly repackaging the contents, tobacco and cellphones, to take into the prison.

"We're continuing to interview those inmates on his work crew and others that came in contact with him," said Robinson. "He has admitted on one occasion of taking gasoline for his own personal use."

"I've known him for a long time and it has totally surprised me, it really has," said Carroll County Commission Chairman Bill Chappell.

Chappell said the county sent notice of Huckeba's termination to him in jail Tuesday.

"When they go into those jobs at the prison, they all understand you don't do this kind of thing, you just don't," Chappell said. "Or else, you'll be on the other side of the bars."

Huckeba is facing nine charges, including aggravated assault, false imprisonment, influencing a witness, and violation of his oath as a corrections officer. Deputies said there could be additional charges, relating to the contraband smuggling investigation.

Huckeba served on the Carroll County Board of Education for about seven years, but resigned in April to spend more time with his family.