KINGSLAND, Ga. — A former Kingsland Police Department sergeant has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies after a stolen truck he was driving was stopped in Florida, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.
Dereck Thomas, 33, of Kingsland, faces three counts of felony theft by receiving, one count of felony theft by taking, one count of felony removal or falsification of identification number, one count of filing false documents and one count of violation of oath of office, according to the GBI.
The case began Nov. 26, 2024, when the Kingsland Police Department asked the GBI to investigate the theft of a truck from Bennett Chrysler dealership in Kingsland. Investigators determined a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado had been stolen from the dealership.
On June 25, 2026, the truck was stopped at an inspection station in Yulee, Florida. Thomas was driving it while pulling a trailer that had been reported stolen from the Camden County School System, the GBI said.
The trailer held a lawn mower also reported stolen from the Bennett Chevrolet dealership lot in Kingsland. Thomas also had two tablets belonging to the Glynn County Police Department in his possession, according to the GBI.
At the time of the stop, Thomas was employed by the Kingsland Police Department but was off duty. He was later fired.
The GBI said Thomas turned himself in Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, and was booked into the Camden County Jail.
Kingsland Police Chief Rick Evans said he requested GBI assistance immediately after the incident. Thomas was placed on administrative leave while the department conducted a separate internal affairs investigation, which found he had violated several departmental policies. His firing was a result of this investigation.
The department said it withheld public comment on the criminal investigation while it was handled independently by the GBI, in order to preserve the investigation’s integrity and ensure transparency.
“No individual who wears the badge is above the law or exempt from the standards of this Department,” Chief Evans said in a statement. “When allegations of misconduct arise, they will be addressed promptly, objectively, and without exception. Our responsibility is to the citizens we serve, the integrity of this profession, and the officers who honorably carry out their duties every day. Accountability and transparency are not optional; these are the expectations at this Department.”
The GBI said its investigation remains active. Once complete, the case file will be turned over to the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Kingsland at (912) 729-6198 or the Kingsland Police Department at (912) 729-8254.
Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or through the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
