An Athens-Clarke County Police investigator has been fired after his arrest in a Franklin County child-abuse case, according to authorities. His wife and teenage son were also taken into custody last Monday in Franklin County, and all three were booked into the Franklin County jail. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to assist and says the case remains active and ongoing.
The investigator, 52-year-old William Gipson, had been serving with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and was terminated following his arrest, as reported by 11Alive. Authorities identified his wife as 54-year-old Wendi Gipson and their son as 18-year-old Chasen Gipson. Deputies booked all three into the Franklin County jail last Monday.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says it was asked to assist in the Franklin County child-abuse investigation and that its Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes resources are involved, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The agency is asking anyone with information to contact its regional investigative office in Athens at (706) 552-2309 or submit tips through its online portal.
Charges and booking
According to 11Alive, William Gipson is charged with tampering with evidence and second-degree cruelty to children. Wendi Gipson faces the same tampering-with-evidence and cruelty-to-children counts. Their son, 18-year-old Chasen Gipson, is charged with attempted creation of child sexual abuse material, invasion of privacy and child molestation. All three were booked into the Franklin County jail last Monday and remain part of the ongoing investigation.
What comes next
The GBI says the probe remains active and that investigative findings will be provided to prosecutors as the case moves forward, per the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Athens-Clarke County officials have confirmed the investigator’s termination. Court dates and any formal filings from prosecutors have not yet been announced.
Legal implications
Tampering-with-evidence and cruelty-to-children allegations carry significant criminal exposure under Georgia law and can trigger both state prosecution and administrative reviews within local law-enforcement agencies. The three arrested individuals are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court, and additional details are expected to emerge through public records and upcoming hearings as the case proceeds.
