Georgia Deputy Arrested on Child Molestation Charges After Victim's Parent Found and Reported Illicit Messages By Charna Flam

A Georgia law enforcement officer has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of child molestation.

Rylee Willis, a 21-year-old former deputy for the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO), was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 8, according to court records obtained by PEOPLE.

On Monday, Jan. 5, a mother reported to the Gwinnett County Police Department (GCPD) Special Victim Unit that she found illicit messages between her 16-year-old daughter and an adult man. Police say that the man was later identified as Willis, according to a GCPD news release. 

He was charged with two counts of child molestation and two counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes, according to court records.

He was booked into the Gwinnett County Jail with no bond. The investigation into the case remains ongoing.

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At the time of his arrest, Willis a probationary employee for the GCSO, per 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,” GCSO said. “The Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office holds its employees to the highest standards of professionalism and accountability.”

PEOPLE reached out to the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office and the Gwinnett County Police Department for comment.

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If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.