What’s in the Indictment: A federal grand jury returned a 13‑count indictment charging Staff Sgt. Buck William Aldridge with deprivation of rights under color of law and falsifying records. Prosecutors claim he used excessive force on arrestees on four separate occasions and crafted misleading reports to cover it up. 
Camden County Sheriff's Office Still Frame

A Camden County sheriff’s sergeant has been hit with a federal indictment and it reveals how extensive his alleged misconduct may be.

What’s in the Indictment: A federal grand jury returned a 13‑count indictment charging Staff Sgt. Buck William Aldridge with deprivation of rights under color of law and falsifying records. Prosecutors claim he used excessive force on arrestees on four separate occasions and crafted misleading reports to cover it up. 

A Long Troubled History:

  • In 2021, Aldridge allegedly tased and kicked someone and failed to mention the kick.
  • Later that year, he tased a handcuffed person in the back and compressed their neck with the taser grip, omitting those details.
  • In 2022, during a separate arrest, he repeatedly used his taser after resistance had ended—and also punched the subject in the face, then wrote a misleading report. 

He had previously been fired from the Kingsland Police Department in 2017 following multiple use-of-force violations—and was hired by Camden County anyway. 

Why It Matters: The indictment suggests a disturbing series of misconduct incidents stretching back years. Such violations erode public trust in law enforcement.

Lethal Force Unmentioned: In 2023, Aldridge fatally shot Leonard Cure, a Black man exonerated after 16 years in prison. Despite that high-profile case, the indictment focuses on earlier, non-fatal incidents. The local district attorney declined to press charges in the shooting, calling Aldridge’s actions “objectively reasonable.” Cure’s family has filed a federal lawsuit seeking damages. 

Local Wrath and Reaction: Camden County Sheriff’s Office immediately relieved Aldridge of his duties. The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office are involved in the investigation. Civil rights groups and Cure’s family say the indictment is a long-overdue step toward accountability.

⚠️ Reminder: Crime articles contain only charges and information from police reports and law enforcement statements. Suspects and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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What’s in the Indictment: A federal grand jury returned a 13‑count indictment charging Staff Sgt. Buck William Aldridge with deprivation of rights under color of law and falsifying records. Prosecutors claim he used excessive force on arrestees on four separate occasions and crafted misleading reports to cover it up. 
B.T. Clark
Publisher at 

B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.