A Spalding County deputy landed in a jail cell on April 16 after his own department said an internal probe turned up evidence of family violence. Deputy Phillip Ramsammy is charged with aggravated assault under the Georgia Family Violence Act, second-degree cruelty to children and violation of his oath of office. Authorities say he was moved from an interview room into the jail and is being held without bond.
According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the Spalding County Sheriff's Office received a report of family violence on April 15 and launched an internal investigation at Sheriff Darrell Dix's request. Within roughly four hours, the internal affairs unit told Dix that a criminal investigation was needed, and he brought in another investigator to handle that probe, the station reported. Ramsammy was then arrested and booked on the listed charges.
"I tell my deputies that a badge will not get them out of trouble," Sheriff Darrell Dix said, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. Dix added that he hopes Ramsammy is thinking about those words as he remains in jail without bond, the outlet reported. The sheriff has not released public details about the allegation while the investigation continues.
Legal consequences
Aggravated assault charged under the Family Violence Act and second-degree cruelty to children are felony offenses in Georgia and can lead to prison time if a person is convicted. Penalties depend on the facts, including whether a weapon was used or a child was present, and prosecutors decide which statutes to pursue based on the evidence. For an overview of how family-violence offenses are treated in Georgia, see FindLaw.
What happens next
The sheriff's office said it posted about the arrest on its Facebook page and that it will turn evidence over to the appropriate prosecuting authorities, per the Spalding County Sheriff's Office. The department's social accounts and official website are the main public outlets for updates while investigators and prosecutors review the case. Officials have not released additional details about the alleged incident, and the investigation remains active.
