The Hillsborough County, FL, sheriff says a school resource officer pawned his service weapon and then reported to work with a pellet gun instead.
Sheriff Chad Chronister said the officer, Leroy King, who was assigned to Mango Elementary School, has been arrested.
The sheriff said the discovery was made when a supervisor performed a standard, random officer check at the school. The supervisor noticed King was not wearing a holstered weapon and began to ask questions, reports WTVT.
King allegedly gave excuses to investigators about why he did not have his weapon, but later confessed he pawned the gun, as well as a ballistic vest and weapon-mounted light assigned to him by the sheriff's office.
King was charged with eight counts of giving false info to a pawnbroker.
"He was charged with the duty of protecting our most valuable and precious resource, and that's our children," Chronister said.
