Lang arrested in connection with theft, sale of guns

Enter Headline here

September 21, 2018

CONYERS — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) arrested former Rockdale County Sheriff's Sgt. Dan Lang, 37, Thursday on multiple violations of theft by taking (firearms), a charge of theft of excess of $40,000 in US currency, and one count of violation of oath of office. Lang turned himself in at the Rockdale County jail without incident.

Lang, a 15-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office, was a sergeant in the Property and Evidence Unit when an audit last year discovered the guns had been sold rather than destroyed. Lang was transferred to the Jail Division in November while an internal affairs investigation was conducted.

On March 26 of this year, Lang was reduced in rank from sergeant to corporal. Two weeks later on April 9, he submitted a letter of resignation, citing family considerations.

On April 10, a day after Lang's resignation, RCSO Capt. Sonya Cordero requested the GBI Atlanta Regional Office conduct an investigation into the thefts. The GBI has recovered some of the weapons and are in the process of identifying and recovering the remainder of the weapons. The pawn shops where Lang allegedly sold the weapons have been cooperative in the investigation, which remains active and ongoing.

In addition to the warrants for the alleged sale of the guns, Lang could also face other charges related to the death of inmate Shali Tilson, 22, on March 12. Lang was the jail sergeant the night Tilson was found dead in his cell.

Family members say Tilson suffered from mental illness and he was in a suicide watch cell at the jail that required deputies to check on him every 15 minutes. Lang allegedly admitted in an internal investigation that he falsified the suicide watch logs he'd signed off on that evening. The logs falsely stated the required 15-minute checks had been conducted.

Rockdale County District Attorney Alisha Johnson continues to gather evidence in the death of Tilson, and also of inmate Jamie Henry, who died at the jail in May from medical issues. Charges related to those deaths could be forthcoming.