Georgia Police Chief Charged After Allegedly Pocketing a Raffle Handgun
Quitman, Georgia, Police Chief Lawrence McGee now faces two felony charges for allegedly keeping a donated handgun meant for a police raffle. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested McGee, 44, of Quitman, and charged him with one count of felony theft by taking and one count of violation of oath of office. The Brooks County Sheriff's Office asked the GBI to look into the matter on Feb. 3, 2026. Preliminary information indicates the Quitman Police Department received the handgun in January 2026 as a donation. The department intended to raffle it at a regional traffic enforcement meeting. McGee allegedly kept the gun for himself and never entered it into the drawing. These are allegations. McGee has not been convicted, and he is presumed innocent.
Key Details
The facts that matter so far are few, and the GBI has released only the basics:
- Defendant: Police Chief Lawrence McGee, 44, Quitman, Georgia.
- Charges: One count of felony theft by taking and one count of violation of oath of office.
- Investigating agency: Georgia Bureau of Investigation, requested by the Brooks County Sheriff's Office.
- Referral date: Feb. 3, 2026.
- Donation received: January 2026, by the Quitman Police Department.
- Intended use: A raffle tied to a regional traffic enforcement meeting.
- Alleged conduct: McGee kept the handgun and never included it in the raffle.
- Firearm details: The GBI has not disclosed the make, model, caliber, or serial number.
- Legal status: Charges are unproven. Prosecutors must establish guilt in court.
The GBI's silence on the firearm itself leaves a gap. Investigators know which gun went missing and when. The public does not know what it was. A donated handgun leaves a paper trail, including a donation record, intake logs, and raffle planning documents. Those records will likely shape how the case unfolds.
Background
Police departments and sheriff's offices often accept donated firearms from manufacturers, dealers, and local businesses. Agencies then raffle or auction those guns to fund training, equipment, or community events. Donors expect the gun to reach the drawing. Raffle ticket buyers expect the prize to be real and the drawing to be fair. Both assumptions depend on the agency holding donated property in trust.
Georgia charges theft by taking when a person takes property with intent to deprive the owner of it. Violation of oath of office is a separate felony under Georgia law that targets public officers who break their sworn duties. Federal law adds another consequence. Under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1), anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition. That prohibition applies regardless of whether the person holds a badge.
Georgia has allowed permitless carry since 2022, and the state's gun laws generally treat lawful owners with fewer restrictions than many neighboring states. The Supreme Court's 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen tightened the test courts use for gun regulations. None of that law applies to a theft allegation. This case turns on property and public trust, not on the Second Amendment.
Why It Matters for Gun Owners
Gun owners who buy raffle tickets should care about how agencies handle donated firearms. A raffle depends on accountability. If the organizer cannot show where the prize went, the buyer has no way to verify the drawing. Ticket buyers should ask who runs the raffle, where the drawing takes place, and how winners are recorded. Written rules, witnessed drawings, and published winner names are reasonable baseline expectations.
Donors face a different risk. Anyone who gives a firearm to a law enforcement agency for a fundraiser should request a written donation receipt. The receipt should list the make, model, and serial number. Donors should also ask how the agency will document the gun until the drawing. A donor who never hears about a prize should follow up in writing, not just by phone.
The case also shows why a felony conviction matters beyond prison time. A conviction on either charge could trigger the federal firearm prohibition under 922(g)(1), depending on the sentence and the offense classification. Gun owners who work in public safety, security, or government roles should understand that their own firearm rights depend on a clean record, not only on their position.
DownRange Analysis
Police officers receive real exemptions. Qualified officers can carry concealed under the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, and many agencies allow off-duty carry. Those exemptions cover carrying a gun. They do not cover taking a gun that belongs to someone else. Keeping donated property is not a gray area, and no state treats it as one.
The Bruen framework will not decide this case. Courts will look at the evidence, the intent behind the alleged taking, and the duties tied to McGee's office. A gun owner should watch the case for one thing: whether the GBI releases the firearm's identity and records. That detail will show whether this was a small, careless act or a deliberate scheme.
Right now, the practical step is simple. If you donate a gun, document it. If you buy raffle tickets, verify the drawing. Keep copies of every receipt, ticket, and rule sheet. Trust should be earned by paperwork, especially when the people holding the property carry badges.
