A Savannah correctional officer has been arrested after accusations that she sexually assaulted an inmate.

Mareka Austin, a Chatham County Sheriff's Office correctional officer, was arrested by the Internal Affairs and Criminal Investigation unit Tuesday morning and charged with sexual assault by persons with supervisory or disciplinary authority over an inmate, according to the Savannah ABC news station WJCL.

In a statement, CCSO said the investigation began about one week ago and that Austin admitted to having an unprofessional and personal relationship with an inmate. The correctional officer also admitted to placing money into the inmate’s phone account.

Austin joined the department Nov. 18, 2019.

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Fulton DA Fani Willis (center) with Nathan J. Wade (right), the special prosecutor she hired to manage the Trump case and had a romantic relationship with, at a news conference announcing charges against President-elect Donald Trump and others in Atlanta, Aug. 14, 2023. Georgia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, upheld an appeals court's decision to disqualify Willis from the election interference case against Trump and his allies. (Kenny Holston/New York Times)

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