GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - The Department of Justice wants its money back from the Gwinnett County Sheriff after they claim he spent $70,000 on a souped-up muscle car.
The Sheriff said he will pay it back. The DOJ sent Sheriff Butch Conway a letter letting him know it wants to be reimbursed for the car which was paid for with federal funds.
The Sheriff usually drives a Dodge Charger that costs about $40,000 but this year decided to get a souped-up version for $70,000.
A spokesman for the department said the Sheriff plans to use it as part of Gwinnett’s 'Beat the Heat' program that focuses on teaching young drivers about the dangers of street racing.
"We had no indication at any time throughout the purchasing process,” the spokesperson said. “We followed that there was a concern about this vehicle. In no way was our purchasing request intended to mislead anyone.
The spokesperson also said the Sheriff does drive the Charger to and from work and uses it to respond to calls in off-hours. He even uses it to pull over drivers who break the law.
