A number of sheriff’s department employees and officers have been suspended in an ongoing investigation. Sources tell the Hattiesburg Patriot that allegations of sex with inmates, massive food theft, and drug smuggling have surfaced. Sources also tell the Hattiesburg patriot that approximately 11 officers have been suspended and one officer has been fired. It appears that there has been a free for all of crime among certain employees within the Sheriff’s Department that has been going on for years, with leadership turning a blind eye.
Sheriff Billy McGee had a campaign slogan “Unafraid to Lead.” Judging by the looks of the department, McGee is leading the department, or his absence of leadership is veering the department, down the roads of embarrassment and shame. It also appears that McGee has been sidetracked from his official duties with an alleged affair.
A subpoena obtained by the Hattiesburg Patriot in a divorce action demands Billy McGee’s wife produce:
any and all audio recordings, video recordings, or documentary evidence including but not limited to audio tapes, video tapes, text messages, photographs, of (female name redacted) with any other persons
Mrs. McGee’s response invokes spousal privilege as the primary means to quash the subpoena. It states:
Carol McGee hereby invokes Mississippi Rule of Evidence 504 and claims Spousal Privilege with respect to the records and information requested on the Subpoena Duces Tecum;
Mrs. McGee also invokes her right against self incrimination. It states:
Not withstanding the exercise of her statutory right in Paragraph 1 above, Carol Mcgee does hereby exercise her right against self incrimination with respect to the request of documents, records (sic) and information in the Subpoena Duces Tecum;
Documents in the possession of the Hattiesburg Patriot allege that a recorder and GPS tracker were placed in Sheriff Billy McGee’s vehicle without his knowledge. The Hattiesburg Patriot also has documentation that alleges McGee used county vehicles with undercover plates, possibly to avoid the vehicle being identified when conducting an alleged affair. In the documents, the plates are identified as FRB 346 and FRB 603.
In other documents obtained by HP, allegations claim McGee ignored official business calls while with his alleged mistress in his county vehicle. It was also alleged that Mcgee traveled at speeds of 115 MPH while traveling to meet his alleged mistress.
Back during the Hattiesburg Mayor’s race, this site reported that Forrest County Sheriff Captain Robert Earl Gray, a Lamar County resident, voted illegally in the election. When WDAM questioned McGee, he told WDAM that he was disappointed in Captain Gray, but no action would be taken. That story can be read by clicking here.
Below is the actual subpoena issued to McGee’s wife and her official response.
https://mississippimedianetwork.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/94/files/2014/08/mcgee-subpoena.pdf