Former GA detention officer pleads guilty to embezzling thousands of dollars from inmate

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HARALSON COUNTY, Ga. — An ex-detention officer has pleaded guilty to her involvement in an embezzlement case.

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On Thursday, former Haralson County Detention Officer Jade Lee Pike pled guilty to violation of oath of office and theft by taking.

The charges stem from a 2021 investigation. Officials said an audit was conducted on all sheriff’s office accounts after Sheriff Stacy Williams took office.

HCSO officials say during the investigation, discrepancies were found in the jail’s inmate account.

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Evidence showed that the former detention officer embezzled more than $11,000 from the inmate account over two years. This happened before Williams took office.

In Dec. 2023, Pike was indicted on the charges and turned herself in. She was sentenced to 10 years probation and has to pay $11,295 in restitution.

“I appreciate the effort of Chief Sailors and the Haralson County District Attorney’s Office in getting justice as well as restitution in this case,” states Sheriff Stacy Williams. “We must hold ourselves accountable, that is an integral part of having our citizens’ trust. We have implemented a system of checks and balances to ensure that nothing like this happens in the future.”

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