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DURHAM (MCT) — The former district attorney for Caswell and Person counties kept a secret file of citations he had dismissed and used it to remind people "of what he did, and asked them for their vote and/or for their help while working the polls," according to a search warrant affidavit made public Tuesday.

The search warrant is part of an ongoing investigation of Joel Brewer by the State Bureau of Investigation that began last fall.

The affidavit quotes a witness as saying that Brewer, who retired recently as district attorney, was overheard promising to dismiss a charge against a woman "while asking for the female's phone number, which he then wrote on the pink copy of the citation."

The affidavit also alleges that Brewer carried a gold badge and misrepresented himself as a law enforcement officer when he pulled a female driver over in his Corvette and threatened to cite her for traffic violations.

The search warrant, with two paragraphs sealed, was released to the Clerk of Superior Court's Office at the Person County Courthouse in Roxboro on Tuesday afternoon.

In an affidavit signed by SBI agent W.R. Myers, an unnamed resident "who is familiar with the workings of the district attorney's office" and has known Brewer for years says Brewer "would routinely dismiss minor citations and traffic charges for people and then save the pink copy of the citations, which (Brewer) has kept in a manila folder in his office."

Myers said he learned that "during past elections, (Brewer) has referred to the manila file folder, called some of those for whom he has dismissed charges, reminding them of what he did, and asked them for their vote and/or for their help while working the polls."

"On one occasion in the recent past, (the witness) heard (Brewer) agree to dismiss a charge for a female while asking for the female's phone numbers, which he then wrote on the pink copy of the citation. Within the past few weeks, (the witness) saw the manila file folder containing the pink copies of the citations on a table in (Brewer's) personal office."

The witness also said Brewer wears a gold badge "which resembles those carried by law enforcement officers. The badge bears (Brewer's) name and words relating to the district attorney's office."

"In the past, (the witness) has heard (Brewer) tell an individual that he was a law enforcement officer, when in fact that was not true," according to the affidavit.

The SBI agent quotes a second person as saying he also knew of the manila folder and gold badge.

A third witness reported seeing Brewer once "stop a motorist by use of a badge."

"The motorist was stopped because (Brewer) thought the motorist had committed some traffic violation." The witness said Brewer talked to the driver and then "sent the motorist on the way."

A fourth witness, a woman, said that "one day within the past five months, (she) was stopped by a male driving a Corvette who flashed a gold badge and who represented himself as a law enforcement officer. "The man wanted to know if (she) wanted a citation, a warning ticket for illegally passing him. When she protested that she had not passed him, he then wanted to know if she wanted a citation or warning ticket for following too close. When (she) challenged the man, he got back into the Corvette and left."

The woman got the license plate number and it was traced to Brewer's Corvette, the affidavit states.

Myers states in the search warrant that he believes "there is probable cause to show that (Brewer) violated the law by impersonating a law enforcement officer and by misuse of his authority."

He said there is "no legitimate reason for (Brewer) to secretly maintain a file of the pink copies of citations he has dismissed or to contact those individuals after their cases have been dismissed."

SBI agents seized the manila folder and badge from Brewer's office at the Person County Courthouse about two weeks ago.

Reached at his home Tuesday afternoon, Brewer said: "You know it would be inappropriate for me (to respond) at this time. I've got confidence in the attorney general and the SBI and the attorneys representing me. And it will be sorted out in the proper way and the proper time. And doing it in The Herald-Sun is not the way to do it."

Brewer has not been charged with a crime. His attorney, George Daniel, could not be reached for comment.