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On Thursday, July 12, Newton County authorities announced that deputy George Rahming has been arrested for reportedly s*xually assaulting a woman while he was in uniform. According to 11Alive, officials began investigating the allegations against Rahming on July 10.
Trigger warning: This article concerns mentions of sexual assault, reader discretion is advised.
The woman accused Rahming of allegedly pulling her into the woods and assaulting her at random. After the incident, the suspect reportedly gave her $10 in cash and left the scene in a petrol car.
The case is currently being handled by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. They have requested that anyone with information about the allegations come forward. Rahming, who had been with the Newton County Sheriff's Office for two years, is reportedly still under police custody.
The timeline of the allegations against George Rahming
On an undisclosed date prior to July 10, the unnamed accuser was reportedly waiting for someone to pick her up at a gas station in Rockford County. When the person did not show up, she went toward Newton County via Salem Road. George Rahming's police car was reportedly kept in the parking lot of a Bruster's Ice Cream at the time. The deputy allegedly left his vehicle and asked her if she needed a road.
After picking up the victim, George Rahming allegedly bought her snacks at a Circle K, before driving her to the back of a school. The victim said that he asked her to perform illicit acts, but she refused. Subsequently, he took her into the woods, where he assaulted her. The woman told investigators that several patrol cars drove by the woods, turned off their lights, then left. She said she believed it was sign from Rahming's fellow officers telling him to stop the assault.
Nelly Miles, Public and Governmental Affairs Director of the GBI, commented on the case, condeming the officer's actions, describing them as blatant and corrupt. She noted that the victim had been randomly picked up, and was not under custody at the time of the assault, adding:
"Even though it’s still early in the investigation and we have made an arrest, they’re going to complete their investigative acts. They’ll put the case file together, they’ll give it to the district attorney’s office, and, at that point, it’ll go through the next steps for prosecution."
However, Miles commended the Newton County Sheriff's Office for reporting the case promptly:
"As tragic as it is that it happened, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office did not hesitate to contact the GBI. The GBI got right on the case and made an arrest."
In the wake of the incident, George Rahming was terminated and arrested by authorities. They noted that the suspect has had an extensive history across multiple law enforcement agencies. Besides serving as a deputy in Douglas and Newton County, he had also been a jailor and officer in DeKalb county.
