A Gwinnett County attorney was arrested following allegations he drugged a female employee while they were out to eat, police said Friday.
Police believe Anthony O. Van Johnson has possibly drugged other people over the course of their nine-month investigation, Gwinnett police Cpl. Wilbert M. Rundles said in a statement.
Authorities had been investigating Van Johnson since September, when the alleged drugging occurred.
Credit: Gwinnett County Police Department
Credit: Gwinnett County Police Department
The woman, who worked as an interpreter for Van Johnson, told police the two were out for a meal at a Bahama Breeze in Duluth after work when she ordered a drink and excused herself to the restroom.
“When she returned, the drink was waiting for her and she noticed there was a powder at the bottom,” Rundles said. “She assumed this was extra salt that she had ordered with her drink.”
The woman consumed the drink. She did not remember what happened until hours later when she woke up, police said.
A sexual assault exam was performed, but police told Channel 2 Action News they are waiting on the results. Police later determined the woman had Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate in her system.
Van Johnson was arrested Monday and faces a charge of administering a Schedule 1 drug. He is out of jail on a $11,200 bond.
According to Van Johnson’s LinkedIn page, he is a managing attorney for Trial Lawyers USA. Until February 2018, he owned his own firm, specializing in traffic incidents.
“It is believed there may possibly be other victims that have yet to come forward in reference to this case,” Rundles said.
Those victims are urged to call Gwinnett police detectives at 770-513-5300 or 770-513-5355.
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