VIDALIA — Vidalia Police Chief Ronnie G. “Tapper” Hendricks resigned Monday shortly after the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed charges against him.

Hendricks was charged with lying to federal law enforcement agents during the course of an investigation into the use and distribution of firearms within VPD’s control.

A Department of Justice news release says agents from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were investigating Hendricks for possible violations of federal firearms laws. Hendricks had allegedly transferred a fully-automatic machine gun owned by VPD to someone at the Rifle Point Hunting Club in Ferriday.

Federal agents also investigated whether Hendricks removed firearms from the department’s evidence room and gave them to friends and acquaintances as gifts. Agents interviewed Hendricks in February.

In May, FBI and ATF agents restricted access to the VPD station, searching the building and cars.

The charges filed Monday allege the following:

Hendricks denied transferring the machine gun, a military-issue M16A assault rifle, when he had, in fact, given the gun to the hunting club for use by its members and guests.

Hendricks falsely claimed that one of the individuals in possession of the VPD gun was a reserve police officer whom Hendricks had sworn in at an unofficial ceremony to which there were not witnesses. There was no ceremony.

Hendricks falsely claimed that the individual he claimed to have sworn in as a reserve officer signed an oath of office form prior to receiving the gun.

The charges were filed in the form of a bill of information, a legal procedure that files charges with a judge who then has the option to sign an arrest warrant or not.

Hendricks was not arrested Monday. A court date has not yet been set.

The charges he faces are a felony offense and carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.

The Vidalia Mayor and Board of Aldermen met Monday night and appointed Arthur Lewis acting police chief.

Lewis was serving as assistant police chief.

Jim Boren was promoted to the position of acting assistant chief.

Mayor Hyram Copeland said he learned of the charges against Hendricks Monday morning and received his resignation at noon.

“It’s just a bad situation for us right now,” Copeland said. “But we’ll get through this and make sure the police department knows we stand 100 percent behind them.”

Copeland said he plans to meet with the entire VPD staff today.

“There will not be any issues as far as safety is concerned,” Copeland said.

“I knew this was under investigation, and this is still under federal investigation,” Copeland said. “Hopefully we can still move forward.

“The main thing I’m concerned with is the police department itself. We want to assure the people of Vidalia that safety is primary to us.”

Copeland also said he regretted to see Hendricks’ career take such a sour turn.

“I just hate what has occurred,” he said. “He was a fine young man who had done an excellent job. I hate it for him, his family and the town.”

Hendricks has served as police chief since July 2008. He could not be reached for comment Monday.

Qualifying for a special election to fill the remainder of the term will be Feb. 9, 10 and 11. The first primary will be April 11. The general election will be April 30.