Bleckley County
A Georgia sheriff has been charged with sexual battery for fondling a girl’s breast at a lodge bar final month, Cobb County authorities mentioned.
Bleckley County Sheriff Kristopher Coody “deliberately” touched the girl’s breast “with out her consent” whereas on the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Lodge & Conference Middle in northwest Atlanta at 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 18, a replica of his arrest warrant obtained by The Each day Beast states.
The alleged incident appeared to coincide with a three-day winter coaching convention for the Georgia Sheriff’s Affiliation on the lodge.
Cobb County Sergeant Wayne Delk mentioned that the company was alerted in regards to the incident the next day and that authorities obtained an arrest warrant on Jan. 28 after gathering statements from “a number of witnesses,” based on a information launch.
Coody’s bond was anticipated to be $1,000, based on the warrant. Jail information posted on-line for Cobb County didn't seem to indicate an arrest report for Coody on Thursday.
“This stays an lively sexual battery investigation,” Delk wrote, including that it “is not going to offer any further statements.”
Coody has served as sheriff for 5 years, based on the Georgia Sheriff’s Affiliation. He took on the position after a prolonged profession in regulation enforcement that included almost 20 years in state patrol starting in 1988, the Journal-Structure reported. He joined the Bleckley County Sheriff’s Workplace for a quick interval in 2007 after which went to work as an officer for Georgia’s Division of Agriculture between 2008 and 2011 earlier than returning to the sheriff’s workplace and finally changing into sheriff in January 2017.
His certification was placed on probation for 2 years in 2009 and he was required to attend an anger administration course, based on Georgia Peace Officer Requirements information reviewed by the Journal-Structure.
When requested in regards to the allegations and the standing of Coody’s employment, Bleckley County Sheriff’s Workplace Chief Deputy Daniel Cape advised The Each day Beast in an emailed assertion on Thursday that Coody was participating in a church-sponsored mission journey out of state that had been scheduled for “almost a 12 months.”
“Sheriff Coody has been a regulation enforcement officer for greater than 20 years and has super respect for our court docket system. He's taking these allegations critically and can meet with the suitable authorities as quickly as he returns,” Cape mentioned.
The division declined to remark additional in regards to the fees, citing an effort to “enable the investigation to proceed with out interference.”