Ex DeKalb cop pleads guilty to federal charges
A former DeKalb County police officer pleaded guilty Friday to helping others possess and hide a stolen car, using his police computer for criminal means and lying to federal agents.
Donald Bristol, 41, of Lilburn, is to be sentenced Oct. 18 in federal court in Atlanta.
"This defendant was a criminal in a police officer's uniform," U.S. Attorney Sally Yates said in a statement. "The evidence showed that during his tenure as a police officer, he violated the very laws that he had sworn to enforce – and then lied about it to federal agents.”
Beginning in April 2010, Bristol helped two criminal defendants hide the fact that the car they were using had been stolen. He also misused his access to a law enforcement database to provide the defendants with information. He later lied about some of his activities to federal agents, prosecutors said.
About the Author
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
