A former Cherokee County deputy accused in 2019 of sexually assaulting a female inmate during his tenure was indicted and charged this month on counts that he allegedly assaulted a second inmate.
Richard Gilleland of Canton was charged with four counts of sexual assault of an inmate at a correctional facility and four counts of violation of oath by a public officer, according to an indictment filed in Cherokee County Superior Court on Dec. 13.
The former deputy is charged with two sexual assaults of both inmates at the Cherokee County Jail in May 2019, according to the indictment. It accuses him of placing his genitals on the buttock of an inmate on two days early that month. He then allegedly touched the breasts and placed his hand on the thigh of another inmate “on or about” May 15.
Gilleland, who had been with the sheriff’s office for five years, resigned following his arrest in June 2019.
At the time, Cherokee County sheriff’s spokesman Capt. Jay Baker said a second inmate came forward with misconduct allegations. He said that while they would be considered policy violations, they did not amount to criminal charges.
Gilleland posted an $8,000 bond and was released from custody following his arrest. As a condition of the bond, a judge ordered him to have no contact with either of the female inmates.
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