Correctional officer arrested in Milledgeville drug bust

MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A correctional officer found herself on the other side of the law following a drug raid.

Ocmulgee Drug Task Force and Milledgeville police raided two homes, simultaneously. Police suspected drug activity at both locations and after an “extensive investigation” arrested Tiffany Shanai Cheely and her boyfriend, Arturo Lee Marshall.

Cheely is a correctional officer at GEO Riverbend Correctional Facility.

Task force agents and police found crack cocaine, marijuana, and hydrocodone along with a stolen Glock gun.

Correctional officer Tiffany Cheely works, as she guards prison inmates. But, now cheely is in the Baldwin County jail along with her boyfriend Arturo Marshall.

Ocmulgee Task Force commander wesley nunn says the arrest is the result of a three month undercover investigation and adds arresting a fellow officer didn’t sit well with him.

“It’s very disturbing anytime we arrest anyone in law enforcement or in the correctional field,” said Nunn. “Someone that’s supposed to be there that knows the law and knows what their protecting inside the prison system and then violate the law like this and it’s no excuse for it. It really gives us a bad name in law enforcement.”

Two teams made up of Milledgeville police and task force agents raided Cheely’s home at 1224 West Charlton Court, Tuesday.

Nunn said they spotted the drugs immediately.

“It was lying on the toilet seat when we arrived in the apartment complex indicating to us that it was ready for disposal if we happened to come to the door and they saw us,” added Nunn.

Marshall was out on parole after serving 70 months in prison on federal charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Nunn says this makes the 20th arrest for Marshall.

Sadrina Hampton lives next door to Marshall and was at home when police found more than $4,000 in cash inside his North Jackson Street apartment.

“I was getting ready to go, with my friend,” said Hampton. “We were getting ready to get something to eat. I ran back in house when I saw the police it scared me, when they jumped out. They had their guns and stuff in their hands.”

The commander of the drug task force says the investigation is on-going and they are searching for the source of the drugs.

“Someone’s getting the dope for them,” said Nunn. “They’re buying it from somewhere.”