For arresting people on bogus charges with the sole intention to collect fines from the arrests.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation indicated the two engaged in this misconduct for four years, from December 2011 to April 2015. The GBI arrested the pair following an investigation that started in October 2015.
After a barrage of complaints, the Bartow County District Attorney’s Office requested that the GBI conduct an investigation on the White Police Department, according to a [**press release.**](https://gbi.georgia.gov/press-releases/2016-03-02/gbi-arrests-city-white-police-chief-and-officer)
After months of investigating, search warrants were executed by the FBI and GBI at the White Police Department and White City Hall on January 21.
The search warrants garnered files, records, and computers – which all contained fine and ticket information induced on innocent people. The FBI and GBI spent nearly six hours gathering all of the aforementioned evidence during the raid.
In an apparent abuse and misuse of authority, King and Scheff decided to arrest people on false trumped up charges, only to later reduce those charges to citations to collect the fines.
The day after the January raid, King and Scheff were both suspended with pay.
A GBI press release stated the following:
> Police Chief David King’s charges
> Count 1: OCGA 16-5-42 False imprisonment under color of legal process:
> On 4/25/15 Lois Kitchens was arrested in Bartow County for cruelty to children in the 1st, a crime she did not commit. Chief King advised Officer Blake Scheff to swear out the warrant.
> Count 2: OCGA 16-5-42 False imprisonment under color of legal process: On 3/31/12 Brittny Brown was arrested in Bartow County for felony deposit account fraud, a crime that she did not commit.
> Count 3: OCGA 16-8-16 Theft by extortion: On 4/22/15 Chief King advised Officer Blake Scheff to speak with the Kitchens’ family about accepting a disorderly conduct citation instead of swearing out state warrants. Nigel Brett, Lois Kitchens’ husband, was told that the family could accept a disorderly conduct citation, pay $1,000 fine, and White PD would not pursue felony state warrants against Lois Kitchens for cruelty to children in the 1st.
> Count 4: OCGA 16-8-16 Theft by extortion: On 12/31/11 Brittny Brown was told that she could accept a disorderly conduct citation, pay $1,000 fine, and White PD would not pursue felony state charges against Brittny Brown.
> Count 5: OCGA 16-10-1 Violation of oath by public officer: Between the dates of December 2011 and April 2015 Chief King violated his oath of office when he committed theft by extortion and false imprisonment.
> Officer Blake Scheff charges:
> Count 1: OCGA 16-5-42 False imprisonment under color of legal process: On 4/25/15 Lois Kitchens was arrested in Bartow County for cruelty to children in the 1st, a crime she did not commit. Officer Scheff had sworn out the arrest warrant at Chief King’s request.
> Count 2: OCGA 16-8-16 Theft by extortion: On 4/22/15 Nigel Brett, Lois Kitchens’ husband, was told by Officer Scheff that the Kitchens could accept a disorderly conduct citation, pay $1,000 fine, and White PD would not pursue felony state warrants against Lois Kitchens for cruelty to children in the 1st.
> Count 3: OCGA 16-10-1 Violation of oath by public officer: On 4/22/15 Officer Scheff violated his oath of office when he committed theft by extortion and false imprisonment
They were both charged with false imprisonment under color of legal process, theft by extortion and violation of oath by a public officer.
Now that King and Scheff have been arrested – only one officer is left in the small town White Police Department.
