A Cobb grand jury indicted the former chief of staff to Cobb Sheriff Craig Owens for a failed insurance fraud scheme.
Braxton Cotton, 41 at the time of his arrest on April 28, 2023, is accused of attempting to defraud insurance company USAA after he was allegedly involved in a crash with lobbyist DeAnna Harris, former chair of the Cobb Young Republicans, early on the morning of March 5.
He was indicted for attempting to commit insurance fraud, attempting to commit theft by deception, two counts of making a false statement, two counts of violation of oath by a public officer and one count of falsifying and concealing a material fact.
Cotton was booked into the Cobb County jail just before noon on April 28 and released less than an hour later on his recognizance.
In the warrant for Cotton’s arrest, the Cobb County Police Department accused him of lying to officers about being the victim of a hit-and-run. Instead, Cotton was actually involved in a collision with Harris, and that she was driving a Jeep Wrangler without insurance at the time, according to police.