A Henry County police sergeant charged along with his neighbors with burglarizing a foreclosed home got a mix of good and bad news Wednesday, Channel 2 Action News reports.
A judge reduced a felony burglary charge against Sgt. David Ferguson to misdemeanor theft. But the police department notified Ferguson that he had been fired.
“I just feel very betrayed, you know based on my experience as a law enforcement,” the 17-year department veteran told Channel 2.
Ferguson’s attorney said his client is innocent.
“He took nothing from the house,” said attorney Lee Sexton. “As a matter of fact, he searched the house because of suspicions that a gun was present.”
Ferguson said the president of his homeowners association told his wife and other neighbors that the property left behind in a vacated house was to be thrown out, so they were free to enter and take what they wanted.
Police have said the homeowner’s president denied giving such permission.
The investigation began in August after the home’s owner returned to discover belongings she had left behind, intending to come back to retrieve them, were missing. These included a kitchen table and a leather coat.
The owner called police, and Ferguson and six other people were arrested.
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