Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010

Former trooper running for sheriff

A retired state trooper who was demoted a decade ago for having an affair with another trooper's wife said his transgression wouldn't affect his ability to serve as sheriff in Johnston County.

Gerry Mouzon, 50, was working as a sergeant in the Smithfield Highway Patrol office at the time of the affair in 1999.

He said Thursday that he admitted the affair to his wife and his supervisor, and the Highway Patrol demoted him to trooper and transferred him to the Winston-Salem office.

"A real quality of a good leader is he owns up to his mistakes and learns from it," Mouzon said.

Records filed with the N.C. Office of Administrative Hearings confirm that Mouzon was demoted and transferred for using patrol facilities and equipment to engage in a months-long affair with a subordinate's wife.

Mouzon said he was later reinstated as a sergeant. After the incident, he enrolled in Guilford College in Greensboro, where he said he earned a bachelor's degree.

Now he plans to file to run for the sheriff's post in Johnston.

Sharon Castleberry, chairwoman of the Johnston County Democratic Party, said the party will endorse Mouzon if he faces off against incumbent Steve Bizzell, a Republican. She said the party is aware of Mouzon's job history.

"Gerry has been quite upfront from the beginning," Castleberry said. "If he's willing to own it, that means a whole lot."

Mouzon, who lives in the Cleveland community with his wife and children, retired from the Highway Patrol last year after more than two decades in law enforcement. He served in the Marine Corps, and last year he received the governor's Order of the Long Leaf Pine award, according to a news release sent by his campaign.

He is a partner in the consulting firm Blue Line Advantage, which helps law enforcement agencies write policies and work toward national accreditation.

Mouzon's wife, Stephanie, said the affair was nearly 12 years ago, and the family has moved on.

"It was something that happened, and it was unfortunate for our family," she said. "He learned from it."

Bizzell is running for re-election for the first time since he came under fire in 2008 for making disparaging remarks about Hispanics in Johnston County. Civil rights and immigration groups accused him of discrimination and called for his resignation.

Bizzell apologized for his remarks.