Catoosa County Sheriff Gary R. Sisk said Wednesday that two detectives have resigned after each admitted having affairs with a witness of a case they were investigating.
One of those stepping down was Detective Tim Deal, who was the detective bringing the case against Tonya Craft. Ms. Craft was absolved of all charges of child molestation in a highly-publicized trial at Ringgold.
She afterward filed a lawsuit against her accusers, including Detective Deal, in Federal Court in Rome, Ga. She later withdrew the federal case.
Detective Deal was also in the news when it was alleged that he took an FBI agent home after a deputy stopped him on suspicion of drunk driving. Both Detective Deal and FBI Agt. Ken Hillman were on a child sex task force in Northwest Georgia.
Also stepping down from the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office was Lt. Freddie Roden.
Sheriff Sisk said, "On separate occasions and on separate cases, each detective had an inappropriate relation with a witness of a case they were investigating. When confronted each man admitted to their indiscretions.
"The Sheriff’s Office will work with the District Attorney’s Office to adequately resolve any cases these two detectives still have pending to the best of our ability."
Sources said Detective Deal had an affair that lasted over a year with a witness in a child molestation case. The defendant in that case was sentenced to a lengthy prison term. Sources said the affair began after the trial and that the woman's husband turned over information to the sheriff's office, including text messages between his wife and Detective Deal.
Sources said in another child molestation case, a husband caught detective Roden with his wife. After a complaint was filed, detective Roden was taken off the case over a year ago.