Rabun County’s chief jailer has been appointed to lead the sheriff’s office following Sheriff Chad Nichols’s arrest. Rabun County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Kevin Angell says Nichols named Major Beth Darnell “Acting In-Charge” before the GBI arrested him.
The sheriff was released on a $32,500 bond after turning himself in at the jail Friday morning, May 31. Under his bond conditions, Nichols is effectively barred from law enforcement activities.
The GBI charged Nichols with violating his oath of office, sexual battery, and public indecency. Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Christian says the charges stem from an incident that allegedly occurred earlier this month.
Major Darnell has been employed with the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office for 14 years. She has attended Chiefs Training through the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, and maintains Georgia Post certifications in Supervision and Management, a news release form the sheriff’s office states.
Darnell currently oversees the detention center and court services.
“The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office staff has faith in the leadership of its command staff members,” says Angell. “We will continue to be a full-service agency that continuously supports our community.”
The GBI’s Cleveland office is handling the investigation. A GBI spokesperson says it is active and ongoing.
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