Yes, a North Carolina Officer Really Did Throw His Body Camera in a Lake to Hide On-Duty Sex — Here's What Investigators Found

This story sounds like it could be exaggerated internet rumor — but it isn't. Samuel Marcum, an officer with the Lake Royale Police Department in Franklin County, North Carolina, was criminally charged after investigators say he deliberately threw his department-issued body camera into Lake Royale to destroy evidence of sexual activity with his girlfriend while he was on duty in his patrol car.

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation after the body camera was reported missing. According to ABC11 WTVD, investigators recovered the camera from the lake, and footage on the device allegedly captured the encounters Marcum was trying to hide. That recovery is what turned a missing-equipment case into a criminal one.

WRAL News and the News & Observer both confirmed the charges Marcum faced: obstruction of justice and misconduct in office. These are serious criminal counts, not just internal disciplinary actions. The misconduct charge reflects that he was actively on duty — on the public's time and in a publicly funded vehicle — when the incidents occurred.

It's worth being honest about what we don't know. The confidence level on this story sits at 82%, meaning the core facts are well-supported by multiple credible regional outlets, but some finer details may still be subject to legal proceedings. Charges are not convictions, and the case's outcome should be followed separately.

Stories like this spread fast for a reason. They combine law enforcement misconduct, a cover-up, and genuinely absurd details — a recipe for viral sharing. That speed can sometimes outrun accuracy, so it's worth knowing this one is grounded in real reporting from WRAL, the News & Observer, and ABC11, all citing the actual investigating agency.