A former Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office deputy already facing child molestation charges from earlier this year has now been arrested again, this time in Butts County, on a sweeping new set of charges that includes rape, aggravated sodomy and cruelty to children. Rylee Conner Willis, 21, was taken into custody alongside Abigail Elaine Davidson after Butts County Sheriff's Office deputies executed arrest and search warrants on Dean Patrick Road on September 15.
New Charges Follow January Arrest in Gwinnett County
According to WSB-TV, Willis now faces rape, aggravated sodomy, statutory rape, child molestation, aggravated assault and cruelty to children, per the Butts County Sheriff's Office. Davidson has been charged with trafficking of persons for sexual servitude, cruelty to children, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and party to a crime of child molestation, authorities say. The station reports that Willis was employed as a deputy sheriff with the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office during some of the alleged offenses.
This is not Willis's first arrest this year. He was previously taken into custody in a separate Gwinnett County investigation involving child molestation allegations in January, per officials cited in the same report. That earlier case began after detectives received a report on January 5; Willis was arrested later that week on two counts of child molestation and two counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes, according to Gwinnett County government, after a mother discovered illicit messages from an adult to her teenage daughter, who was under 16.
Willis Was a Probationary Employee at the Time of the Alleged Incident
FOX 5 Atlanta reported that Willis was a probationary employee at the time of the alleged incident and was no longer employed after his arrest, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. CBS News reported that a parent found illicit messages and authorities received a report.
Butts County sits roughly 50 miles south of Atlanta in central Georgia, according to Geographic.org. The investigation has now stretched across two Georgia jurisdictions, from the Gwinnett County Police Special Victims Unit's original case to the Butts County Sheriff's Office raid on Dean Patrick Road.
Investigators Say More Victims, Charges Likely
Investigators have identified several more victims connected to the case, per the Butts County Sheriff's Office, and officials say more charges are expected as detectives continue reviewing evidence. Sheriff Gary Long said protecting children is one of his highest responsibilities, adding that no one is above the law and no child should ever be a victim of abuse. The investigation remains ongoing, and two people have been arrested.
What Georgia Law Says About the Charges
Georgia law provides some of the toughest penalties for trafficking a minor for sexual servitude. Under Georgia Code § 16-5-46, the offense carries mandatory minimum prison sentences ranging from 25 years to life, according to In The Life Law.
The cruelty to children counts filed against both defendants also carry significant exposure. First-degree cruelty to children under O.C.G.A. § 16-5-70 is a felony carrying a mandatory statutory prison sentence of 5 to 20 years for maliciously causing a minor severe physical or mental pain, according to Justia Law. Aggravated child molestation convictions also trigger mandatory lifelong registration on the Georgia Sex Offender Registry under O.C.G.A. § 42-1-12, per the Georgia Attorney General's office.
State Licensing Board Could Revoke Credentials
Separately, the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council holds statutory authority under O.C.G.A. § 35-8-7.1 to investigate involuntary terminations and criminal charges involving certified officers, with the power to permanently revoke law enforcement credentials statewide, according to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training Council. The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office said details of its investigation are confidential under Georgia Code § 49-5-40(b). Both Willis and Davidson face charges as the case moves through the courts, and investigators say the search for additional victims and evidence continues.
