One Barrow County sheriff’s deputy was fired and two others resigned after being accused of excessive force. And in a separate incident, a detention officer resigned after having an affair with a former inmate, the Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.

The GBI is investigating incidents involving two deputies and a supervisor after a Winder man was punched during his arrest in July. Internal investigations led to Deputy Bradley Arnold's firing for use of excessive force and resignations in lieu of termination by Deputy Brandon Willis and Lt. Candler Pace, The Barrow County News reported.

Sheriff Jud Smith told the newspaper he contacted District Attorney Brad Smith after reviewing a tape of the July 1 arrest of Shane William Reese, who was struck during his arrest. The sheriff and DA then contacted the GBI.

“It appears these officers tried to cover up their actions and we found out about it and swiftly got rid of them,” Jud Smith said.

In a separate incident, a Barrow County detention officer resigned in lieu of termination Aug. 19 after she admitted to a sexual affair with a former inmate, the newspaper reported. Kindra Maddox admitted she kept in touch with eight former inmates, and had a physical relationship with one, according to the report.

About the Author

Keep Reading

A Korean Air plane takes off from Incheon International Airport in South Korea on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. The plane is chartered to bring back Korean workers detained in an immigration raid in Georgia. (Yonhap via AP)

Credit: AP

Featured

Fulton DA Fani Willis (center) with Nathan J. Wade (right), the special prosecutor she hired to manage the Trump case and had a romantic relationship with, at a news conference announcing charges against President-elect Donald Trump and others in Atlanta, Aug. 14, 2023. Georgia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, upheld an appeals court's decision to disqualify Willis from the election interference case against Trump and his allies. (Kenny Holston/New York Times)

Credit: NYT