A former police chief in Georgia and his wife are facing serious allegations after authorities accused them of stealing more than $30,000 from a special Christmas fund that was set up for underprivileged children.
Woodrow “Peewee” Wilson Burkhalter, 55, and his wife, Angela Burkhalter, 53, allegedly misused about $33,000 from the Atkinson County Christmas Fund between 2019 and 2025 for their personal needs.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said that Burkhalter served as police chief of Pearson, a city in Atkinson County, from 2020 to 2024. During his tenure, he mishandled and manipulated the fund, which was set up to provide Christmas gifts for children who might otherwise go without them during the holiday season.
According to The New York Post, authorities claim that Woodrow “Peewee” Wilson faces 28 counts of theft by conversion. His wife has been charged with one count of party to the crime of theft by taking and one count of party to the crime of theft by conversion.
Angela Burkhalter was taken into custody by the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office before being transported to the Atkinson County Jail. Meanwhile, Woodrow “Peewee” Wilson Burkhalter was arrested by the Atkinson County Sheriff’s Office.
According to WALB, the investigation remains ongoing. Once additional details are revealed, the case will be handed over to the Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.
Ex-Georgia police chief, wife accused of pocketing $33K from Christmas gift fund for impoverished kids https://t.co/rFpPFMtFc2 pic.twitter.com/A4cmWbQdHL
— New York Post (@nypost) March 26, 2026
In an official statement, Pearson Mayor Jason Joyner described the situation as deeply concerning. He reassured people that the city leadership stands by ethical values like transparency and accountability.
“Today is a sad day for Pearson and all of Atkinson County. It’s heartbreaking to know that funds meant for our children during Christmas did not reach them.
“This situation does not involve the current City of Pearson leadership or our Police Department. The individual involved has not been part of the department for several years. Since taking office, we’ve put a strong focus on transparency, accountability, and doing things the right way.
“We’re going to keep moving forward, keep things open and honest, and keep doing what’s best for our community,” he added.
Jason Joyner officially took office as mayor of Pearson on January 1 and moved quickly to address local issues. His focus shifted from tackling infrastructure challenges to overseeing responses to criminal investigations and arrests of city officials involved in financial scams and corruption cases.
While several cases have previously been reported in Georgia regarding police brutality and racism within departments, this case adds to a new series of legal troubles involving local officials.
Earlier this year, Pearson’s deputy city clerk, the daughter of a city council member, was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence. She had also been taken into custody after allegedly firing a gun at a vehicle carrying her child and the child’s father.
Furthermore, in September 2025, City Clerk Patricia Ballard was arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) after she was accused of misusing public funds.
View this post on Instagram
Meanwhile, Georgia has taken major steps to fight organized crime and illicit financial flows, along with drug-related offenses, which come from greed at the top bureaucratic levels and poverty and unemployment among the lower-class citizens.
