STAFF REPORT :::
A deputy employed by the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office was on Tuesday, Feb. 1, arrested and taken into custody by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office
Former Deputy Mason Lumpkin has been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and electronically distributing obscene materials to a minor.
Authorities say that during the GBI investigation of Lumpkin, information was obtained that Lumpkin allegedly sent photos and Snapchat messages to a 16-year-old girl. Investigators say those photos were also seen by a nine-year-old girl.
The GBI investigation was requested by Sheriff Darrell Dix.
“The first young girl involved let her parents know what had happened. They looked at the pictures and immediately reported them to us. I saw the pictures and based on those pictures and the attached messages, I asked the GBI to conduct a criminal investigation with the full cooperation of my office and staff. Lumpkin was placed on administrative leave pending the conclusion of the Investigation. Administrative leave meaning that he had to personally appear when told to respond Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm, to be questioned/interviewed, submit to any testing, and not be under the influence of any intoxicant. It is not a paid vacation. When the investigation was finished, the information was presented to District Attorney Marie Broder, and the determination was made to criminally charge Lumpkin,” Dix said. “On February 1, 2022, I personally fired Lumpkin and he was taken into custody without incident. He was booked into my jail and posted bond just like anyone else would be required to do. The Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council will be notified of the arrest, and his certification will be suspended immediately.”
After being released on bond, Mason was once again arrested overnight Tuesday, this time for driving under the influence and failure to maintain a lane.
“Every employee that works at the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office knows that both their on-duty behavior and their off-duty behavior affects the way that the public views us not just us locally, but our entire profession nationwide. The consequences are made crystal clear to them, and I don’t accept excuses for an officer that enforces the law breaking the law. The citizens we serve and my employees both expect and deserve better than what Lumpkin has demonstrated. As the agency head, if I don’t hold my people accountable, I lose the respect of the citizens I’m elected to serve, and I also lose the respect of my employees that work hard to make this community better. In instances like this it’s my job to do my job. It’s my job is to do what’s right, be transparent, and take the lumps that this kind of behavior incurs,” Dix said. “To me, there is no difference between Mason Lumpkin and any other criminal we publish photos of or release information about when they are arrested. There is no special treatment, attempts to cover up, or hide things from the public. The same quote that I’ve made before applies to him more than it does to anyone else, ‘Don’t break the law or do dumb stuff and you won’t have to worry about us releasing your picture and a story about it. He should have thought about the consequences of his actions, his friends, family, and community before he put himself in this situation.”
Dix urges parents and guardians to be aware of their children’s social media activities.
“I once again urge you to be involved in your children’s activities on various social media platforms. Not all kids will respond to situations the way this young lady did. You should have usernames and passwords to all accounts, and you should keep a check them because these platforms are often used by predators,” Dix said. “If your child is a minor, their safety is more important than hurting their feelings by checking their phones. You may not see questionable photos, but what you may discover are inappropriate messages, or evidence where your child is being set up or groomed for disaster.”
Lumpkin is being held in the Spalding County Jail.
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