A veteran policeman with the DeKalb County Police Department is under fire after allegations were made that he molested a 13-year-old girl. The 49-year-old is now facing child molestation charges and is being held in police custody.
The man, who spent 18 years as an officer for the county, resigned amidst the allegations. The Police Chief was taken aback by the incident calling it disheartening for the department. He went as far as to call the police veteran a stellar officer. However, the Chief assured the public that the police department will do what is right.
The alleged incident took place in September 2012 at the man’s house. The officer allegedly showed the girl pornography, then kissed her neck. He also supposedly tried to undress her.
Meanwhile, the defense is questioning the girl’s allegations, as well as her credibility. This came after it was reported that the girl only recounted the incident a year later in a letter she sent to her mother. The defense also stated that the man’s daughter was present at all times he was with the girl so there was no way sexual contact could have occurred.
The police officer is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in November. His bail was set at $10,000.
Allegations of sex crimes can cause serious consequences to one’s personal and professional life, whether the allegations are true or not. A conviction could do irreparable damage to a person’s reputation. Besides the costly penalties and potential prison sentence, a resident risks being shunned and ridiculed by the community. To protect his or her rights, a DeKalb County resident accused of such crimes will need an aggressive defense to scrutinize witness accounts and evidence.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “charge/nbW3m/”>Bond set for DeKalb cop arrested on child molestation charge,” Marcus K. Garner, Oct. 24, 2013