NEWTON COUNTY — A former Newton County Sheriff’s Office deputy has been sentenced to seven years in prison after prosecutors say he sexually exploited a woman while on duty.
George Rahming was convicted by a Newton County jury on Thursday on three counts of violating his oath of office, both while on duty and in uniform. According to the Newton County District Attorney’s Office, the three offenses included the following:
Sexual contact by an employee in the first degree
Solicitation of sodomy
The purchase of condoms, taking the victim to a secluded area and soliciting sex acts
Rahming was arrested in July of 2023 after a woman claimed the officer had raped her.
“Preliminary information indicates that a woman made a report to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office stating that she had been raped by a deputy in uniform,” the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said in a news release. “The Sheriff’s Office began an initial inquiry into the allegation and the early information they received began to substantiate the allegation.”
The DA’s office added on Friday that the offenses began after Rahming pulled his patrol car next to a woman who was walking on the side of the road. He reportedly approached the woman under the pretense that he was there to help her.
The victim later notified staff at a local hospital, which led to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office beginning an investigation. Sheriff Ezell Brown turned over the investigation to the GBI once it was determined that a Newton County deputy was involved.
Rahming was charged with rape, sexual contact by employee or agent in the first degree and four counts of violating his oath of office. He was found not guilty by the jury on the first two charges as well as one of the oaths of office violations.
With each oath of office violation carrying a maximum of five years in prison, Judge Cheveda McCamy sentenced Rahming on Friday to 15 years with the first seven to be served in prison.
“I commend Sheriff Brown, his deputies and investigators that were involved in the initial investigation, and the GBI for their hard work and professionalism in this investigation,” wrote Newton County District Attorney Randy McGinley. “This conviction does not serve as a statement against law enforcement, but against one person, this Defendant, who used his authority and power for improper purposes.”
The Newton County Sheriff's Office sent the following statement to The Covington News after the sentencing:
"No one is above the law, especially those who take an oath to serve and protect.
The badge is a symbol of trust. When that trust is broken, people expect accountability, and rightfully so.
This case does not reflect the many dedicated law enforcement officers who serve this community with honor every day, but it does show our commitment to holding people responsible for their actions and maintaining the public’s trust in our agency.
We will continue working to protect this community and uphold the values that this office stands for."
