Jailhouse cook accused of sexually assaulting female inmates, Georgia deputies say
.JPG "A contract employee working as a jail cook in Hall County, Georgia, is accused of sexually assaulting three inmates from June 16-18, deputies said.")
A man is accused of sexually assaulting multiple inmates while employed as a cook inside a north Georgia jail, deputies say.
Charles Henry Rice, 49, of Cumming faces three counts of misdemeanor sexual battery after authorities said he assaulted at least three female inmates who worked alongside him at the Hall County Jail in Gainesville, the sheriff’s office announced in a news release Tuesday, June 21.
Rice was contracted by Trinity Food Service, which provides meal service to the jail, and worked in the kitchen, deputies said. He helped supervise the inmates who he’s accused of assaulting from June 16-18.
“When we became aware of these reported assaults, our jail staff took immediate action to make sure the suspect had no further contact with our inmates,” Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said in the release. “I will not tolerate this kind of behavior from any employee. Further, I commend the women who reported these actions to our staff.”
Rice was booked into jail on a $17,100 bond, though deputies said he isn’t housed with the general population.
Gainesville is about 50 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published June 21, 2022 at 11:44 AM with the headline "Jailhouse cook accused of sexually assaulting female inmates, Georgia deputies say."