For the second time in two weeks, a Cobb County sheriff’s deputy has been on the other side of the jail bars for allegedly assaulting an inmate.
Sgt. Kristopher Travitz, of Douglasville, was arrested Friday following an internal investigation into alleged misconduct that occurred two years ago and was terminated, according to Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren.
Travitz, a 14-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, was charged with aggravated sexual battery, sexual assault by a member of law enforcement, violation of public oath and false statements — all felonies — and booked into the Bartow County jail, where he was being held without bond Tuesday.
The most recent arrest followed the Jan. 18 arrest of another deputy, Alvin Blake Sutherland, on four felony charges. Sutherland was charged with aggravated sodomy, aggravated sexual battery, sexual assault by a member of law enforcement, and violation of oath of public office, according to his warrant. He remained in the Douglas County jail without bond Tuesday night.
“After the previous incident of employee misconduct, information was obtained which indicated the possibility of another incident which occurred approximately two years ago,” Warren said in a press release. “As I have stated before, misconduct by those sworn to uphold the law is totally unacceptable and will be dealt with expeditiously and the offender prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Travitz allegedly fondled a female inmate in custody between October 2010 and March 2011, according to his arrest warrant. Travitz also claimed in an interview that the inmate, whose name was not released, had never gone to his home, the warrant states. But he later admitted she had come to his home, according to the sheriff’s office.
“The victim was wearing a GPS tracker on her ankle by order of Cobb County Drug Court,” the arrest warrant states. “The GPS tracker shows her at the accused’s home for approximately 45 minutes.”
Warren said that prospective employees are subjected to rigorous background checks and a psychological evaluation, but it is no guarantee that misconduct will not occur. Every complaint will be thoroughly investigated, he said.
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