A Fayetteville police officer has been charged with six counts of misdemeanor sexual battery, as confirmed by the Fayetteville Police Department yesterday. Officer Jacob Edward Jones, 24, who joined the department in November 2022, was taken into custody following an investigation into a "serious incident" that transpired last month, the details of which were disclosed during a press conference held by Interim Police Chief Christopher Joyce.
The incident allegedly took place on May 13 when Officer Jones, while reviewing surveillance footage with an employee at a business on Bragg Boulevard, was accused of making unwelcome physical contact. Interim Chief Joyce, in a statement obtained by MyFox8, described how "Jacob Jones inappropriately touched the employee multiple times." The press conference revealed that Jones was involved in touching the victim's back, buttocks, inside thigh, among other advances.
This case first came to the department's attention on June 10 and resulted in Jones being placed on administrative leave immediately. Following the complaint, an internal investigation was initiated by the department's Office of Professional Standards, leading to a subsequent criminal investigation by the Special Victims Unit. These efforts culminated in the establishment of probable cause against Jones and the securing of an arrest warrant, as reported by CBS17.
Emphasizing the department's stance on the situation, Interim Chief Joyce told ABC11, "The Fayetteville Police Department holds its officers to the highest standards of conduct both on and off duty." He continued, explaining the significance of the badge as "a symbol of public trust, and we will not tolerate any employee who violates that trust." Joyce added that the alleged actions of Jones do not reflect upon the department as a whole.
Jones was subsequently taken to the Cumberland County Detention Center with his bond set at $25,000. The Fayetteville Police Department has conveyed their thoughts to the victim, reassuring public trust in their procedural integrity during the investigation of such allegations.
