A Houston County sheriff's deputy assigned as a school resource officer in Warner Robins is off the force and behind bars after investigators say he is linked to an alleged on-duty sexual assault at a private home near a local campus. The deputy, 49-year-old Nakia Benefield, is facing charges of rape, aggravated sexual battery, false imprisonment and violating his oath of office. His arrest followed a criminal investigation by Warner Robins police alongside an internal affairs probe by the Houston County Sheriff’s Office.
Houston County jail records show Benefield was booked on June 3 and is being held without bond, according to 41NBC. Sheriff Matt Moulton said in a news release that Benefield, who had been working as a school resource deputy at Northside High, was suspended without pay on May 19 and then fired effective June 1 after internal affairs investigators found multiple policy violations. Moulton added that his agency cooperated with the Warner Robins Police Department and the Houston County District Attorney’s Office throughout the case.
What investigators say
Warner Robins officers responded on May 18 to a reported possible sexual assault, and detectives later identified Benefield as the suspect, according to WTSP. The outlet reports that surveillance video tied Benefield to the alleged assault and that, while on duty, he left his mobile data terminal at the school, did not alert a supervisor before leaving campus and turned off his portable radio, which the sheriff’s office says shut down GPS tracking. Warner Robins police led the criminal case, while the Houston County Sheriff’s Office handled the internal affairs investigation.
Charges and next steps
Jail records and local coverage list Benefield’s charges as rape, aggravated sexual battery, false imprisonment and violation of oath of office, with the Houston County District Attorney’s Office handling the prosecution, 41NBC reports. No court date has been publicly set, and officials have declined to comment further while prosecutors review the case file.
Pattern of personnel actions
Moulton told reporters that Benefield is the fourth sheriff’s office employee in under three weeks to be fired and criminally charged, a streak of disciplinary cases that has unsettled some residents, according to WTSP. The sheriff’s office says it does not plan to release additional information while the matter is in the hands of prosecutors.
School resource officers and oversight
School resource deputies are sworn sheriff’s office employees assigned to campuses to handle safety and law enforcement needs. Houston County’s own materials spell out the sheriff’s authority over patrol and school posts, according to the Houston County Sheriff’s Office. Community members and educators say they look for clear and timely communication whenever an on-duty officer is accused of a crime.
Prosecutors will decide whether to seek formal indictments and when Benefield will appear in court. This story will be updated as hearing dates are set and additional public records are filed.
