Pubdate: Wed, 08 Jun 2005
Source: Macon Telegraph (GA)
Copyright: 2005 The Macon Telegraph Publishing Company
Contact:  http://www.macontelegraph.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/667
Author: Associated Press

EFFINGHAM COUNTY DEPUTY INDICTED ON GUN, DRUG CHARGES

SPRINGFIELD, Ga. - A sheriff's deputy arrested by her own co-workers has
been indicted on felony drug and gun charges, a court clerk said.

Former Effingham County deputy Melinda Stewart Johnson was arrested in March
and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and
possession of a firearm - police issue - during the commission of a crime.
She was indicted Monday, but the indictments were not made public until
Tuesday.

The arrest came after Johnson bought marijuana during a sting operation
conducted by Effingham County deputies. Johnson was on patrol - in uniform,
driving a marked police car - when the deal went down, police said.

Johnson had been with the department for about seven months when drug agents
got a tip that she was buying marijuana. Deputies arranged a sting operation
in the parking lot of a grocery store in the small community of Guyton.

The deputy, who was still on probationary status, drove her police car into
the parking lot and purchased an undisclosed amount of marijuana as deputies
watched from hidden locations, police said.

She was arrested and later released from the county jail on a $10,000 bond.
She was fired shortly after her March 8 arrest.

One of Johnson's former co-workers said Tuesday that no one is above the
law.

"We will police our own," said Chief Deputy Richard Bush. "We cannot and
will not let anyone get away with breaking the law."
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