GENEVA, Ala. — The Geneva County Commission has unanimously voted to request a state audit of the Geneva County Sheriff’s Office following the theft of several firearms from the department. The decision came after the arrest of 24-year-old Cody Johnson, who investigators accuse of stealing rifles, pistols, and shotguns from the sheriff’s office.
The motion for the audit was introduced at a commission meeting on Tuesday morning, a week after Johnson’s arrest. Johnson, who is reportedly related to Sheriff Tony Helms, is believed to have stolen the firearms while they were being stored outside of the sheriff’s department.
Sheriff Helms confirmed to WDHN on Monday that he is indeed related to Johnson, which has drawn additional attention to the case. During the Tuesday meeting, it was revealed that the firearms in question had not been stored at the sheriff’s department but rather at a personal property at the time of the alleged theft.
The sheriff clarified that the stolen guns were not evidence or department-issued weapons. Instead, they were firearms that had been abandoned by their owners and subsequently condemned by a Geneva County judge. Following the court’s ruling, the sheriff’s office took possession of the guns, which were supposed to be stored securely.
The revelation that the guns were kept at a private location rather than a more secure facility raised concerns among county commissioners. Commissioner Weston Spivey voiced particular concern, stating that the commission had not been informed that the firearms had been removed from the courthouse grounds.
In light of these concerns, Spivey proposed that the commission request a state audit to examine the sheriff’s office’s handling of evidence and the security of the firearms. The audit would be carried out by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Attorney General’s Office, or the Alabama Department of Examiners.
The vote was unanimous, with commissioners agreeing that an independent review was necessary to ensure transparency and accountability. The move highlights growing scrutiny of the sheriff’s office’s operations, particularly in light of the sheriff’s familial connection to the accused thief.
The state audit will likely examine not only the handling of the stolen firearms but also the broader security practices within the sheriff’s office. With the community closely watching the investigation, the outcome of the audit could have significant implications for the sheriff’s office and its leadership.
As the investigation continues, questions remain about the protocols for storing abandoned firearms and whether proper procedures were followed in this case. The audit may offer critical answers and determine the next steps for the sheriff’s office and the county as a whole.
