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COLUMBUS, Ga. — The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office announces Friday a corporal faces charges after she was allegedly caught stealing from the drug take-back program.

Sheriff Donna Tompkins says during a news conference Corporal Bridget Goolsby is charged with violation of oath, fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance, and two counts of violating the Georgia Controlled Substance Act.

Tompkins says Goolsby had been in charge of collecting medications from the sheriff’s office’s drug take-back program. The program allows anyone to turn in unwanted or expired medications, no questions asked. It is part of a national effort by the Drug Enforcement Administration to reduce safety hazards, overdoses, and improper disposal of prescription medications.

Sheriff Tompkins says the job of taking up the collected drugs was turned over from Goolsby to a designated drug custodian on July 11. She says Goolsby should have turned over all her keys and access to the drop-off boxes. However, several members of the sheriff’s office came forward to say they saw Goolsby taking medications from the box in the Citizens Service Center at around 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Goolsby was arrested and taken to Muscogee County Jail. She has since paid a $20,000 bond to be released. Sheriff Tompkins says a search of Goolsby’s home found “a significant quantity if pharmaceuticals”.

The investigation is ongoing and Goolsby has been placed on administrative leave effective immediately.

Tompkins says the case against Goolsby has been bound for Superior Court.

The sheriff also released the following statement on the investigation:

“Law Enforcement is a difficult environment these days, yet we have many dedicated professionals here in the Sheriff’s Office. It is unfortunate when something of this nature happens; however, we will investigate and address these situations as they arise and handle them as we would any citizen. When I ran for Sheriff, I pledged to bring back integrity and credibility to this office and that is exactly what I plane to do.”

-Sheriff Donna Tompkins, Muscogee County