A 70-year-old man was arrested — his third arrest within a year — on accusations he groped and kissed six girls all under the age of 16.
Authorities allege Ralston Cecil Dew molested the girls between June and December 2017. He faces multiple child molestation charges in Cherokee, Dawson and Forsyth counties. One of the alleged assaults occurred at his Cumming home.
Dew’s latest arrest was Aug. 24 in Forsyth County, where he remains in jail on two counts of sexual battery against a child under the age of 16, according to jail records. He was arrested in December and March for charges in Cherokee and Dawson counties, respectively.
Authorities were first notified of the allegations in December 2017, according to a Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office incident report obtained by AJC.com.
One of the victims told her mother she was with Ralston at a Publix in Cumming when he began rubbing her legs, according to the report. When the two got out of the store, the victim said Ralston began kissing her on the mouth.
The juvenile spoke with other girls who’d been in contact with Ralston and they reported similar experiences, according to the report.
One girl reported Ralston slapping her buttocks, massaging her thighs and groping her vaginal area.
Another girl told police Ralston also grouped her in her vaginal region. According to the report, he attempted to kiss her several times and eventually kissed her on the mouth. The same victim reported Ralston repeatedly touched her inappropriately at his home and while they were at a gun range in Dawsonville.
Dew faces two counts of child molestation and enticing a child for indecent purposes in Dawsonville, according to online Dawson County court records. He faces two additional child molestation charges in Cherokee County as well as a sexual battery charge.
In other news:
About the Author
