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.