Over the past month, local law enforcement agencies have arrested four individuals, three of which were teens, on a slew of sexual assault charges including child molestation and rape.
Investigators with the Woodstock Police Department nabbed two Woodstock teens Aug. 11 after detectives connected the pair with the alleged sexual assaults against two juvenile females.
According to Public Information Officer Brittany Duncan, on Aug. 10 detectives were conducting an investigation in regard to a residential burglary that occurred roughly two weeks prior, and, while interviewing a 14-year-old juvenile girl about the burglary, she reportedly disclosed that she was sexually assaulted on Aug. 6 by a 19-year-old male in the Skyridge Apartment complex, located off Ga. 92.
As the investigation developed, Duncan said another girl came forward and said another 19-year-old male sexually assaulted her, too. Duncan said it reportedly was the same evening at the same location.
According to reports, the juvenile girls reportedly met the 19-year-old men through a youth group at His Hands Church.
According to the Aug. 10 incident report, drugs were involved, as “narcotics/drugs” were listed under the weapons/tools section of the report.
According to police, the investigation reportedly tied Yancey Tanner, 19, and Jonathan Carrier, 19, both of Woodstock, to the sexual assaults.
Tanner was charged with one count of possession of marijuana, four counts of statutory rape and five counts of aggravated child molestation.
Carrier, who is the son of Holly Springs Councilwoman Jacqueline Archer, was charged with one count of statutory rape, one count of aggravated child molestation, one count of child molestation and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
“My family and I are devastated by the alleged charges made against Jonathan,” Archer said. “As a mother, my heart is broken. My hope is that these charges will prove to be in error.”
According to Archer, Holly Springs Mayor Tim Downing offered his support to her and her family as they proceed through the next steps in the case.
According to Duncan, detectives continue to investigate the pair because they believe there may be more victims.
Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Woodstock police detectives at (770) 592-6030.
In addition to the 19-year-old teens, Woodstock police also arrested 20-year-old Edward Lewis Rogers, of Woodstock, Aug. 19 for rape, aggravated assault and false imprisonment charges in connection to his alleged sexual attack on a woman.
According to Duncan, detectives with the Criminal Investigation Unit arrested Rogers after they linked him, through evidence, to a rape that occurred on Aug. 14 at Weatherstone Square Drive.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office also busted a juvenile for alleged sexual battery against an older woman.
According to reports, the Waleska teen was arrested Aug. 18 on aggravated sexual battery and sexual battery charges after he reportedly confessed to assaulting his father’s girlfriend on multiple occasions.
According to the sheriff’s office report, the father told the responding officer that his girlfriend discovered his 15-year-old son peeping at her in the shower on several different occasions. The report also said the juvenile had touched and kissed the woman while she reportedly was sleeping.
The report said, on Aug. 16, the father’s girlfriend reportedly went to sleep, after having a few alcoholic drinks, and reportedly woke up to the juvenile standing over her.
The officers reportedly asked the woman if the juvenile touched her, and she reportedly stated that he had.
The father’s girlfriend told the officers that she had not come forward with the incidents prior to the Aug. 18 arrest because she apparently felt the boy needed a female figure in his life, the report said.
After speaking with the teen’s father and his girlfriend, the officers took the juvenile into a room for questioning. With the father present and with his consent, the officers read the juvenile his Miranda warning, the report said.
The juvenile said he understood his rights and began to speak to the officers, the report said. Upon interviewing the juvenile, he reportedly confessed to touching his father’s girlfriend more than once, the report said.
The juvenile was arrested and taken to the South Annex, instead of the county jail, because juveniles cannot be placed in general population with adults in the jail.
