A former Statesboro Police captain resigned earlier this month amid an internal investigation regarding allegations he shared information with known drug dealers.
    The allegations against Thomas Williams, a 19-year veteran of the department, were initially turned over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, but GBI officials said it was not a criminal case and handed the case back to Statesboro Police for further investigation, said Statesboro Public Safety Director Wendell Turner.
    In response to an open records request, he and Statesboro Police Major Scott Brunson released documents Thursday including statements by Williams admitting social interaction with a known drug offender. In the statement, Williams also admitted having shared confidential information about ongoing drug cases with Shannon Renate “Donnie” Lovett, a man who was arrested and remains in the Bulloch County Jail in connection with drug charges stemming from Operation Street Hustler, a drug sting which occurred in February.
    When contacted Thursday evening by phone, Williams denied sharing information with Lovett.
    Brunson and Turner said they were made aware of the allegations when one of Lovett’s relatives contacted police earlier this month, asking that officers meet with Lovett. When officers met Lovett at the Bulloch County Jail, he told them about information he said Williams shared with him regarding drug investigations, confidential informants and undercover officers. The officers immediately notified Brunson.
    Lovett told police Williams shared information with him during a visit to a Screven County race track.
   
    Williams' statement
    In a handwritten statement, Williams admits being picked up at his home by Lovett and showing Lovett’s two sons his swimming pool. Then, he rode with Lovett to the race track, where they watched car races and discussed drug activity.
    In statements, Lovett is recorded as saying he “caught some flack” from friends for appearing at the race track with Williams, a known police officer, and said Williams gave him the name of a confidential informant.
    Denying he disclosed any confidential informant’s identity, Williams said Thursday that the trip to the race track “was the biggest mistake I ever made in my life. I love muscle cars, and it was almost like a dare from him. He said I wouldn’t go, so I went.”
    In the written statement, he said “I remember talking to (Lovett) about his drug selling days when he worked at (a local car dealership) and how much money him and the guys … would waste on race cars and gambling and drinking.”  
    Williams stated Lovett told him about a man who owed him $25,000 from those drug deals. In the statement, he wrote “I remember saying to Donnie, how do you just let somebody that owes you that kind of money slide?”
    When Lovett said he could not find the man who owed him, Williams said he responded with “… I’ll help you find him but it’s gonna cost you. Then I immediately said Donnie, you need to charge that to the game because that’s drug money and if your P.O. (probation officer) found out you were trying to get … money from a past drug transaction that would definitely violate your probation.”
    In his statement, Williams said he told Lovett he had never dealt drugs but grew up with people who did. He described taking a person once to the Bronx to conduct a drug deal.
    Williams grew up in New York, which explains why he is known locally by the nickname “New York," Brunson said.
    “I remember saying to him, if I ever decided to get into the drug game that I could make a lot of money and know how not to get caught by what I have learned being a cop,” Williams wrote in his statement.
    Thursday, he said he made that comment in a casual way and meant nothing by it. He denied having a friendship with Lovett, and said he spent time with him in efforts to collect information he later shared with the police department’s drug officers. “Me and this clown didn’t have any kind of relationship.”
    He also stated he approached Lovett at a local barber shop on at least two occasions and asked him “Why is your name coming up at the police department?” after having heard Lovett was selling cocaine. While Lovett claimed Williams was offering him information, Williams said Thursday he was only trying to “look out for the guy” and discourage him from getting back into drugs.
    In statements by officers who interviewed Lovett, Advanced Patrol Officer Matt Deangelis stated Lovett said Williams “advised him of his pending charges months before the end of the investigation and also advised him of his pending arrest the day before the roundup.
    “Lovett went on to say that he and Williams were close and that Williams told Lovett if he ever wanted to get back in the game that Lovett should tell Williams so (he) could keep him informed on things,” Deangelis wrote.
    He said Lovett also disclosed information about Williams’ alleged friendship with another drug dealer, a man whom Brunson said is currently under investigation for drug activity and whose name was redacted from documents.
   
    Williams resigns
    Thursday, Williams denied any social involvement with Lovett or other drug suspects.
    Lovett also alleged Williams received payment for information, but Turner said there was no evidence that is true.
    However, Brunson said when he was interviewing Williams about the allegations, he asked whether Williams had ever received money in exchange for information about cases. At that point, Williams “told me ‘I see where this is going’ and resigned immediately” without answering the question, he said.
    When asked Thursday why he resigned if he was not guilty of the allegations, Williams said “When you found you could lose a pension you worked for 19 years, what would you do?”
   
    Lovett's claims
    In statements, Lovett told police both Williams and a confidential police informant were in the barber shop while Lovett was cutting hair. After the confidential informant left Lovett said  Williams told him “He ain’t right. I took that to mean he was giving information to the police.”
    Lovett also said the unidentified drug dealer with whom Williams is allegedly friends, told him Williams “keeps him informed.” He said the dealer “told me that he shoots Thomas money time to time. (He) also tells me that Thomas tells him who ain’t right, who’s informing.”
    Lovett also admitted in interviews he hoped sharing the information about Williams would help him with his pending drug case. In police statements, it is recorded that officers asked Lovett whether he had been promised or offered anything in exchange for the information. He said he had not, but hoped sharing what he knew would help him in the long run.
    The confidential informant whose involvement with police Williams allegedly disclosed to Lovett was concerned when members of the public seemed to be aware of his actions, according to reports by Deangelis.
    “The CI stated that he heard from people in the streets that a police officer who went by the nickname ‘New York’ had been telling people that the CI was working for the police department,” Deangelis wrote. “The CI knew ‘New York’ to be Williams as he drove an unmarked white Chevrolet Impala and would frequent the barbershop where Lovett worked.”
    Deangelis also stated in reports how he and two other officers caught Williams in a detective’s office searching through papers when the detective was off duty. Williams claimed he was searching for a list of suspects in a case with which he had been helping the detective, but the officers still found his actions and explanation suspicious.
    After the CI’s cover had been compromised, several controlled buys of supposed cocaine from Lovett tested negative for drugs. This aroused suspicions that “Williams may have compromised the CI’s identity to Lovett and that was why Lovett would not sell real cocaine to the CI after the first controlled buy,” he wrote.
    Deangelis also reported Lovett told him when the unidentified drug suspect “pays Williams for information … Williams used some of that money for lottery tickets.” He told officers it was known that Williams had a penchant for scratch-off tickets.
    Brunson and Turner both said they were unaware of any gambling issues with Williams, and until the investigation, had never suspected Williams of any wrongdoing.
    “There were never any red flags,” Turner said.
    Lovett also claimed Williams promised to keep him informed about the identities of confidential informants in case he wanted to “get back in the game” of selling drugs. “The day before I got arrested, he let me know they were coming the next morning.”
    Thursday, Williams denied giving anyone information about pending drug cases and arrests.
   
    The investigation
    Brunson said after Lovett’s interviews were recorded, he prepared a report and met with GBI officials, who assigned the investigation to Special Agent Cyrus Purdiman. The next day, after interviewing Lovett, Purdiman returned the case to the Statesboro Police. In Brunson’s report, he stated “The GBI felt there was not enough evidence to pursue the matter criminally. However, there were some serious administrative matters which should be addressed.”
    Williams was notified June 22 that he was being placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the investigation. When asked to turn in his weapon and badge, and when told about Lovett’s allegations, Williams “became quite emotional” and upset about fears he would lose his job, Brunson stated in reports.
    The next day, when he returned to discuss the matter, Williams signed papers that protected him from prosecution if he gave incriminating information during the interview, he said.
    Brunson said during the taped interview, Williams admitted associating socially with Lovett and the unidentified drug suspect, admitted releasing “classified information regarding ongoing criminal investigations” and failure to comply with policies and procedures of the department.
    During a phone conversation with the Statesboro Herald Thursday, Williams denied admitting the allegations.
    In the report, Brunson said Williams’ “actions compromised the integrity and ethics of the Statesboro Police Department and this type of behavior should never be tolerated.” Williams “tendered his resignation in lieu of termination” and the case file is being forwarded to the Georgia Peace Officer’s Standards and Training Council for review, which will likely result in William’s loss of certification, he said.
    Williams violated policies regarding conduct expected of officers, keeping information about police activity confidential, associating with people with criminal records, compliance with orders and “conduct unbecoming of an officer” on or off duty, he said.
    Williams began his career with the Statesboro Police Department Aug. 19, 1992.
    Turner said the incident is a blow to the department.
    “It’s an individual decision to cross that moral threshold,” he said. “The decision to do that is a direct reflection on (Williams) first and foremost, but it is also a reflection on the agency.”
    Brunson said he is disappointed in the situation. “I considered Thomas a close friend and colleague. This was a very tough case to investigate. I had a difficult job to do but I did it for the overall welfare of the department.”
    He said he disapproved of William’s actions but holds no ill will towards him.
    “People are human beings and human beings make mistakes. A well respected former GBI agent told me that,” he said.
    Turner said closer scrutiny would be paid to officers and relationships with the public. He said the incident is a “black eye .. that tarnishes the badge” and the Statesboro Police Department would have to work to regain the public’s trust.
    Williams “not only betrayed the trust of the men and women he worked with, but he betrayed the community as well,” he said.
    Williams said Thursday Lovett “ put a spin on conversations we had in  the past” and maintained he never relayed confidential information. He said Lovett was “grasping at straws” since he faced prison and was angry because Williams would not give him information about police activity.
    “This is an unfortunate situation and I understand the administrative part of this 100 percent,” he said. “I had a long and productive career and did a lot of good work for the police department, City of Statesboro and the community.”
    
    Holli Deal Bragg may be reached at (912) 489-9414.