A former DeKalb police officer pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of having sex with a minor.

A grand jury returned a 16-count indictment in June against Quevius Thornton, 29, charging him with repeatedly having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

Thornton, who joined the department in 2008, was arrested and placed on administrative leave in January. He resigned later that month.

The indictment alleges Thornton had intercourse with the girl Oct. 22, 2010, in his car in the parking lot of Dunaire Elementary School on S. Indian Creek Drive.

On Oct. 25 of that year, Thornton took the girl to Shoal Creek Park on Glenwood Road and engaged in intercourse and oral sex, according to the indictment.

Thornton repeated his actions at his Ward Lake Trail home in November and December, according to the indictment, and in the parking lot of Panola Way Elementary School.

The officer also gave the girl marijuana and slapped her, according to the indictment. DeKalb police spokesperson Mekka Parish would not say whether Thornton was on duty at the time of any of the alleged incidents.

Thornton is charged with four counts of aggravated child molestation, six counts of statutory rape, three counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes and one count of simple battery, one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of marijuana possession.

He is being held without bond. No court date has been scheduled, said Erik Burton, a spokesman for the DeKalb District Attorney's office.

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8/26/17 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia leaders, including Gov. Nathan Deal, Sandra Deal, members of the King family, and Rep. Calvin Smyre,  were on hand for unveiling of the first statue of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday at the statehouse grounds, more than three years after Gov. Nathan Deal first announced the project.  During the hour-long ceremony leading to the unveiling of the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at the state Capitol on Monday, many speakers, including Gov. Nathan Deal, spoke of King's biography. The statue was unveiled on the anniversary of King's famed "I Have Dream" speech. BOB ANDRES  /BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Bob Andres