Two men, including a Cave Spring police officer, have been arrested and face multiple felony drug charges, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Tuesday.
Marvin James Armstrong, a resident of Chattooga County, and Terry Lee Wheeler, a resident of Floyd County, are accused of multiple illegal drug sales in and around Rome. Both men are being held in the Floyd County jail, according to the GBI. No bond has been set for either man, according to the jail's website.
Armstrong has been an officer with the Cave Spring Police Department since Aug. 19 and began his career as a Chattooga County Sheriff's Office peace officer in 2015, according to state peace officer records.
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Charges against Armstrong include conspiracy to possess fentanyl, conspiracy to possess methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess Percocet and use of a communication facility during the commission of a felony. Charges against Wheeler include conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute Percocet and use of a communication facility during the commission of a felony.
Attorneys for Armstrong and Wheeler could not be reached before deadline.
The 35-year-old Armstrong was terminated from his peace officer position with the Chattooga County Sheriff's Office on July 12 and from his part-time peace officer position with the Summerville Police Department on Aug. 12.
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Armstrong was hired by the Cave Spring Police Department a week after his dismissal from the Chattooga County Sheriff's Office, state records show.
Officials from the Cave Spring Police Department could not be reached for comment on the case or status of Armstrong's employment.
Mark Schrader, Chattooga County sheriff, said in a phone interview that he had no comment on Armstrong's arrest. Schrader had a brief comment on Armstrong's termination after more than 6 1/2 years of service with the Sheriff's Office.
"Basically, he failed to complete required duties for the position," Schrader said.
When asked to be more specific, Schrader said Armstrong was fired for a host of things, including not generating required reports.
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Armstrong was first hired as a jailer by the Chattooga County Sheriff's Office in the summer of 2014, according to state peace officer records, before he was promoted to peace officer less than a year later.
No sanctions or investigations were listed on Armstrong's peace officer record.
Contact Andrew Wilkins at awilkins@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659. Follow him on Twitter @tweetatwilkins.