AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A career law enforcement officer on Richmond County’s command staff was arrested Monday night and appeared in court by the next morning. Major “Robbie” Silas oversaw the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division. He had been with the agency since 1989. The GBI arrested Silas Monday night on charges of pandering, solicitation of sodomy and violation of oath of office. By Tuesday morning, less than 12 hours later, Silas was in court. A judge set his bond at $5,000. The Richmond County sheriff has since fired Silas. A News 12 Investigates analysis of Richmond County Superior Court bond calendars from August and September examined how long defendants waited for a bond hearing by cross-referencing each defendant’s arrest date. The analysis looked at arrests across different types of charges, including murder, burglary, arson and drug trafficking. On average, those defendants waited about six weeks, or 41 days, for a bond hearing. Some waited longer. One defendant waited nearly six months. Another waited more than a year. Silas was bonded out in 12 hours. The district attorney said it is difficult to house law enforcement officers in the county jail, and Silas could have ended up incarcerated with the same inmates he helped put behind bars. A reporter was in court when Silas bonded out. The judge initially set bond at $7,000 but lowered it after Silas said he was not sure he could pay it. Georgia law gives judges discretion to set…
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