A former Georgia law enforcement officer has been arrested and is facing multiple felony charges involving a minor.
Rylee Willis, 21, a former deputy with the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO), was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 8, according to court records.
Police say the investigation began Monday, Jan. 5, when a mother contacted the Gwinnett County Police Department (GCPD) Special Victim Unit after discovering illicit messages between her 16-year-old daughter and an adult man. Authorities later identified the man as Willis, according to a GCPD news release.
Willis has been charged with two counts of child molestation and two counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes, court records show.
He was booked into the Gwinnett County Jail without bond. The investigation remains ongoing.
At the time of his arrest, Willis was a probationary employee with the GCSO, according to the agency’s news release. He is no longer employed by the department.
“Under GCSO policy, entry-level sworn and non-sworn employees must complete two years of probationary status before being granted permanent status,” the sheriff’s office said. “The Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office holds its employees to the highest standards of professionalism and accountability.”
The Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office and the Gwinnett County Police Department were contacted for comment.
