Two men who worked as jailers for the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office have been fired, arrested and charged with sexual assault against multiple female inmates as part of a GBI investigation.
The probe began when one woman, an inmate at the Paulding County Jail, came forward May 12 to report that the men had initiated inappropriate sexual contact with her, sheriff’s office spokesman Sgt. Ashley Henson said in a news release.
On Thursday, after additional inmates came forward with similar reports, 30-year-old LaDarius Dominique Jones and 22-year-old Lucas Mays were fired and arrested by GBI agents, Henson said. Both face the same charges, which include three counts of sexual assault and one count of violating their oath of office — all felonies.
“It disgusts me that two of our jailers would betray the trust that our inmates and the public have in us,” Paulding Sheriff Gary Gulledge said in a statement. “We are sworn to uphold the law, and I will not stand for anyone, even if they are one of our deputies or jailers, to violate the law and the trust of the community.”
According to the initial investigation, the first woman reported the sexual assault when both former jailers were off duty. When the two men returned to work May 14, they were not allowed to have contact with any inmates and were placed on paid administrative leave, Henson said.
The GBI began its investigation soon after, and the two additional women came forward, Henson said. Based on the GBI’s investigation and video evidence, the two jailers were fired and arrested.
Mays and Jones were initially booked into the Paulding jail, then transferred to a different metro Atlanta jail, Henson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Both are being held without bond.
Because the case involves charges of sexual assault, the Paulding sheriff’s office will not release the identities of the victims. The investigation is still active and could result in additional charges, Henson said.
If anyone has any information regarding these jailers or any other employee of the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office regarding misconduct of any kind, the Paulding sheriff’s office asks that they contact its OPS Division at 770-443-3010. Tips can also be made by calling the GBI tip line at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app, or by downloading the Paulding Sheriff mobile app.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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