BRUNSWICK, Ga. --
A deputy for the Appling County Sheriff's Department was charged in a criminal complaint in federal court Tuesday with being an accessory after the fact to a drug crime.
According to an affidavit, 35-year-old Richard Crosby knowingly disclosed to the target of a drug investigation the fact that a search warrant was to be executed at the target's home on Jan. 20.
Crosby told the target to hinder the target's apprehension, according to court documents.
Crosby made his first appearance in federal court in Brunswick on Tuesday.
"At this time, indications are that Crosby was motivated by a desire to sabotage another agency's investigation and not monetary gain," U.S. Attorney Edward Tarver said in a news release. "Whether motivated by greed or petty interagency rivalry, actions that jeopardize ongoing investigations and breech of the public's trust in law enforcement will not be tolerated, and offenders will be prosecuted."
The charge against Crosby resulted from a joint investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. The maximum penalty for the offense is 30 months in prison and a fine of up to $125,000 if convicted.
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