The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) recently reported the arrest of Lyons Police Officer Dustin Matejcik, a 30-year-old man from Glennville, Georgia. The charges brought against him include one felony count of Violation of Oath of Office and one felony count of Theft by Taking. The announcement came on Tuesday, following an internal issue that escalated to the need for the GBI's involvement.
The chain of events initiating these charges occurred on March 22, when Matejcik responded to a traffic stop alongside another officer. The individual detained requested that his personal belongings be handed over to his arriving employer, a request left unfulfilled. In the aftermath, Matejcik found himself alone with the property, which included cash, a passport, and keys. The subsequent day, inquiries about the detained individual's belongings surfaced, revealing a trail that abruptly ended with Matejcik.
It was the Lyons Police Chief, Wesley Walker, who last Wednesday, solicited the GBI's assistance. The department's prompt action signals a zero-tolerance stance towards malfeasance within its ranks. Following the investigation, evidence surfaced indicating that Officer Matejcik never submitted the property into evidence, essentially rendering the items unaccounted for and leading to his arrest. Matejcik is now being held at the Toombs County Detention Center.
Upon completion, the dossier will be submitted to the Middle Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office, where prosecution decisions will be made. The full scope of the consequences that Officer Matejcik may face, if found guilty, is currently subject to the judicial process, with far-reaching implications for the accountability expected of those tasked with upholding the law.
