The Newton County Sheriff's Office has asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate allegations of a deputy being involved in a sexual assault.

GBI spokesman John Bankhead said the NCSO made contact with their office on Friday, Aug. 31 to ask for assistance in the case.

"The sheriff did request the GBI to investigate allegations of sexual assault being made against one of his deputies," Bankhead said. "Since it's an ongoing investigation, all we do at this point is confirm [our investigation]."

Lt. Keith Crum with the NCSO Internal Affairs Division said the NCSO did ask GBI to investigate the case, but the NCSO will help them out in any way they can.

"It was last Friday that we had a complainant come forward to the sheriff's department making the allegations against the deputy," Crum said.

"There have been no arrests and there has been no action taken as far as charges being filed. Since it was a criminal act alleged against the deputy, the sheriff called in the GBI. They're the ones who are conducting the investigation," he said.

Crum said as soon as the GBI completes the investigation, they'll report their findings to the district attorney's office. He said the NCSO is also conducting a criminal investigation. He said right now, they are not releasing the name of the deputy.

"For a deputy's name to be published for allegations when it's [still] under investigation is a career killer," Crum said. "As soon as the investigation is completed by the GBI, then it will become open records and any internal affairs records will be open."

Crum said the deputy has been placed on administrative leave.

"It's not a punishment; it's paid leave, and the purpose is so that the evidence will be preserved in the reports," Crum said. "Anything that the sheriff's department physically has cannot be tampered with, and they will remain on leave until a disposition is reached."