RABUN COUNTY, Ga. — Rabun County Sheriff Chad Nichols has been suspended by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp after the governor issued an executive order on Friday.
This comes after Nichols turned himself in on May 31 on sexual battery and public indecency charges.
Last week, Kemp appointed a committee to investigate his arrest -- a group that involved Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, Morgan County Sheriff Robert Markley and Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum. The committee had 30 days to prepare a report explaining why they recommended Nichols' suspension.
On Friday, the appointed committee delivered its recommendation to Kemp that Nichols be suspended. Kemp suspended Nichols for 60 days, effective immediately.
As a condition of his $32,500 bond, he is unable to be involved in any law enforcement activity in his capacity as sheriff, but he is currently running for reelection and faces a runoff next week.
"This person has to have their day in court, but obviously, there was probable cause to make an arrest. So we're acting on that at this point," J. Terry Norris, the executive director of the Georgia Sheriffs' Association, previously said of the investigation. "It lessens the public's confidence in law enforcement in general and the office of sheriff specifically. There's another dent in that public's trust of our profession."
Nichols has worked for the Sheriff's Office since 1998.
On June 17, Rabun County Chief Superior Court Judge Russell Smith appointed Chief Deputy Elizabeth "Beth" Darnell to serve as the interim sheriff during the suspension.
"I was honored to be considered, and I graciously accept being appointed to handle the duties and responsibilities of the Sheriff during the time of suspension," Darnell said.