An 18-year-old probationary detention officer at the Clarke County jail was fired this week and then arrested on a string of serious charges, including kidnapping, battery, false imprisonment and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Jayden Antwon Cole, of Comer, was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon in connection with an incident involving violence that allegedly occurred while he was off duty.
According to Classic City News, Cole was booked into the jail on charges of kidnapping, battery, false imprisonment and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and he is being held without bail. The Clarke County Sheriff's Office had already terminated Cole after learning of the criminal allegations involving his off-duty conduct, according to Now Georgia. He also faces a charge of violation of oath of office, per WUGA.
Fired Before the Arrest
The timeline laid out by officials shows Cole lost his job first, after the sheriff's office began looking into alleged misconduct while he was off the clock. The agency learned of criminal allegations involving his off-duty conduct and moved to fire him, the nowgeorgia.com report states, before his arrest followed. As FOX 5 Atlanta reported, Sheriff John Q. Williams said in a statement that the sheriff's office holds its employees to strict ethical standards, adding that sworn officers must uphold the law, maintain public trust, and ensure community safety.
Williams also said that those who violate the law will be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent, according to the same FOX 5 Atlanta report. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is now leading the ongoing criminal investigation into Cole, the WUGA report notes, and additional details are expected to be released as permitted by that department.
What Remains Unknown
Authorities have not released details about the circumstances of Cole's arrest, what led to the alleged conduct, or information about any victims involved, per the FOX 5 Atlanta report. The gaps leave major questions unanswered even as the criminal case moves forward under the Athens-Clarke County Police Department's investigation.
Cole's arrest is not the only recent case involving alleged misconduct at the Clarke County jail. His arrest follows that of former detention officer Derwin Johnson, who was charged with violation of oath of office after an internal investigation into alleged professional misconduct, according to the nowgeorgia.com report. The sheriff's office said additional charges were pending against Johnson under a Georgia law prohibiting unauthorized contraband from being provided to jail inmates, per the same account.
