Former deputy accused of paying woman's bills to use home for crimes
Body cam footage captures arrest at Butts County home
Sheriff Gary Long confirmed former deputy Riley Willis faces rape and child molestation charges following an arrest in Butts County. Body camera footage shows deputies taking Willis into custody after uncovering evidence of an online relationship with a minor. Investigators have identified additional victims as the probe continues.
BUTTS COUNTY, Ga. - A former Gwinnett County sheriff’s deputy faces rape and child molestation charges after Butts County investigators uncovered new evidence that he was involved with a child he met online.
Butts County arrest warrants
What we know:
Butts County deputies arrested former Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Deputy Rylee Willis at a home after uncovering evidence of child sex crimes.
Authorities said Willis met a girl online when she was 13 years old and allegedly began molesting her around the time he graduated from a Georgia police academy.
Gwinnett County Police previously charged Willis with two counts of child molestation in January, leading the sheriff’s office to fire him.
After bonding out of jail, Willis moved to Butts County, where deputies received a tip that he had rekindled the illegal relationship.
Sex trafficking investigation
What we don't know:
Deputies also charged Elaine Davidson, claiming she allowed Willis to use her home to commit the crimes in exchange for financial assistance with her bills.
Investigators confirmed they have identified two other potential victims in the case.
Authorities have not released the names of the additional potential victims.
It remains unclear what specific additional charges investigators may file as the probe continues.
Reporting online crimes
What you can do:
The Butts County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who has information about online dealings between Willis and children to contact investigators immediately.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Butts County Sheriff’s Office, who provided arrest details and interview comments from Lt. Matt Munger and Sheriff Gary Long, as well as Gwinnett County Police records.