Former Chief of Staff in Cobb County Sheriff’s office indicted

The former chief of staff in the office of the Cobb County Sheriff, Braxton Cotton, has been indicted by a Cobb grand jury and faces charges related to an alleged insurance fraud scheme.

Cotton, 41, was indicted on charges including attempted insurance fraud, theft by deception, making false statements, violation of oath by a public officer, and falsifying and concealing a material fact. Cotton was arrested on April 28, 2023, and accused of attempting insurance fraud after a car collision with lobbyist DeAnna Harris.

The incident occurred on March 5 and Cotton was booked into Cobb County jail on April 28. He was released on his own recognizance a few hours after his arrest. His arrest warrant alleges that Cotton falsely reported a hit-and-run and concealed his involvement in a collision with Harris. Further investigation revealed that Harris, driving without insurance, was known to Cotton, and he allegedly filed a fraudulent insurance claim with USAA.

Cotton’s actions were discovered after investigators used license plate technology, video footage, and cell phone data, confirming the collision’s true nature. Cotton’s warrant says he reported hit-and-run damage to his white Chevrolet Corvette and said it occurred at Macland and Lost Mountain roads around 8:45 p.m. on March 4. Cobb police reviewed license plate-reading technology that revealed that Cotton’s car was undamaged hours after he said it was hit. Cotton then admitted that the crash occurred early in the morning on March 5.

Video footage and cell phone data confirmed Cotton’s car had been hit between midnight and 2 a.m. on March 5 and that it was not a hit-and-run. According to police, Cotton knew the woman, identified as Harris, driving the Jeep Wrangler who hit him. Police said Cotton and Harris worked “together on behalf of the same employer” — and he was in contact with her both before and after the crash, the warrant says. The Jeep received insurance coverage the day after the collision, according to the warrant, and police allege in the warrant Cotton filed a fraudulent insurance claim with USAA.

Sheriff Craig Owens placed Cotton on paid administrative leave upon his arrest, emphasizing that the investigation is unrelated to Cotton’s duties at the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office. Owens appointed a replacement and said he would await the outcome of a fair trial for Cotton. Meanwhile, Cotton was reassigned to the Adult Detention Center Division pending an ongoing internal investigation.