Officials: Sheriff to plead guilty and resign

HIAWASSEE - Officials say the Towns County sheriff accused of lying to state investigators and hiding evidence to protect two deputies charged with a July drive-by shooting will plead guilty Tuesday and resign.

Towns County Sheriff Rudy Eller's lawyer says he will plead guilty to unspecified charges at an afternoon court hearing.

The Lawyer, Mike Weaver, says Eller is remorseful that he let down the people of Towns County.

Investigator Robert Kern, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, says Eller is expected to resign after entering his plea tomorrow. Kern says an interim sheriff has not yet been selected.

Towns County Deputy Jessie Gibson and Chief Deputy Eddie Osborn faced aggravated assault and obstruction charges in the shooting July 9th at the home of Gary Dean of Hiawassee. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation affidavit says Dean, who was not injured, was ``involved in an ongoing intimate relationship'' with Osborn's wife.

Eller was later charged with lying to state investigators and hiding evidence to protect his employees.

On August 8th, Gibson was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot.