OFF THE WIRE
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. —
The FBI may be asking questions about a Dekalb County police sergeant who is on desk duty.
Sgt. Eric Adkison was taken off the streets pending the outcome of an investigation into the way he responded to an alleged rape at his motorcycle club. He is not accused of rape, but DeKalb County authorities are looking into how much he knew about the allegations.
A biker told Channel 2's Erica Byfield that Adkison may have been under scrutiny even before the incident.
The man told Byfield an FBI special agent questioned him last year about Adkison, a former College Park police officer, and a motorcycle club both men belong to.
"The power is in fear. As long as you fear them, they will still have control," said the man, who belongs to a different motorcycle club from Adkison but asked not to be named.
The man said he met the special agent at a Waffle House near Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
"We talked about a good 45 minutes to an hour," he said.
The man said the agent told him the FBI is investigating Adkison, former officer Donnell Eppinger and the Georgia Council, which oversees all motorcycle clubs in the state. Adkison and Eppinger sit on the board of the Georgia Council.
The man told Byfield if bikers do not follow the council's rules they may face retaliation.
"There are times that people will get beat up and there are times where people have had their vehicles damaged," the man said.
The man said the council also keeps a "blackballed list."
Byfield found the list of current blackballed motorcycle clubs on the Georgia Council's website.
"People need to see for themselves that they are not the knights in shining armor that they portray themselves to be," he said.
The man said the FBI is looking into Eppinger and Adkison for racketeering allegations.
A source told Channel 2 Action News the ATF and DEA were also investigating the men, but a DEA representative denied involvement.
An ATF representative said he could not confirm or deny an investigation. He added that the ATF is aware of Eppinger's motorcylce club and its ties to current and former law enforcement.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/man-says-fbi-investigating-dekalb-officer/nLfkz/