Gwinnett deputy resigns after arrest on child molestation charges

Mugshot of Michael Lomax

Credit: Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office

Credit: Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office

Mugshot of Michael Lomax

A Gwinnett County sheriff’s deputy resigned after he was arrested at his home Wednesday on aggravated child molestation and sodomy charges.

Michael Lomax is accused of engaging in a sex act with a 13-year-old he met on Grindr, a gay social networking app that allows users to meet other users in their area.

The alleged victim’s mother reported the incident to Lilburn police, Gwinnett County sheriff’s spokeswoman Deputy Shannon Volkodav said.

Authorities obtained a search warrant for Lomax’s Stone Mountain home and arrested him about 2 p.m. Wednesday with the assistance of DeKalb County police. He resigned immediately after his arrest in lieu of termination.

Lomax had worked as a jailer in Gwinnett for about two years.

Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway said parents should be mindful of apps such as Grindr and the affect they have on children:

“While I am extremely disappointed in the actions of Lomax and am glad to see him behind bars, I am also alarmed that minors can access social media apps of this nature and utilize them to meet strangers,” Conway said.

Lomax is the sixth Gwinnett deputy arrested since 2012.

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