GATESVILLE, N.C. (WRAL) — A federal grand jury has indicted a former Gates County deputy on charges that he stole a handgun and drugs that were evidence in criminal cases, authorities said Wednesday.
Brandon Scott Hawks, 33, of Eure, was charged with two counts of possession of a stolen firearm and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Hawks, who was a sergeant with the Gates County Sheriff’s Office, “unlawfully seized” a Glock 26 handgun during a July 23 traffic stop and never logged it in as evidence with the sheriff’s office, authorities said. The gun was found at his home in December.
He also is accused of having a second stolen gun for more than three years before it was found in December.
The drug charge alleges that he had heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine, methamphetamine, and marijuana that had been seized during criminal investigations and planned to distribute the drugs.
Hawks was fired from the sheriff’s office on Dec. 6, the same day authorities found the stolen guns and drugs, authorities said.
