Source: Courtesy of / Atlanta Police Department
The Atlanta Police Department (APD) arrested and charged Officer Anthony L. Anderson Oct. 5 over the alleged sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl after he arrived on the scene of a single-car accident she was involved in.
An investigation by the department detailed that Anderson reported to the scene of an early morning single-car crash Aug. 2, wherein the driver was a 16-year-old female. Instead of medical care being prioritized after the crash, the officer allegedly committed sodomy and engaged in sexual behavior with the minor “without her consent.”
The 16-year-old teen reportedly alerted Gwinnett County authorities shortly after the incident with Anderson occurred. The county’s police department questioned Anderson Aug. 11, noted the Atlanta Police Department. The latter organization disclosed that it was made aware of the accusations against its officer that same day.
At that time, Anderson was “moved out of the Field Operations Division, and an internal investigation into the incident was immediately opened.”
The officer has reportedly served the Atlanta Police Department since March 2016. His Officer Disciplinary History noted that he’s received four citizen complaints since 2018, although the reasons were unspecified. The most recent citizen complaint occurred in September 2023, and the officer received a “written reprimand.”
The Atlanta Police Department detailed that Anderson is currently in the custody of Fulton County Jail. The four felonies he’s been charged with are Violation of Oath of Office, Cruelty to Children (2nd degree), Aggravated Sexual Battery, and Aggravated Sodomy.
It was reported that Anderson “knowingly, with criminal negligence, did cause a child under the age of 18 cruel or excessive physical or mental pain by not having medical personnel check the victim for injuries after a car accident despite medical personnel arriving on the scene.”
Fox 5 shared that the officer waived his first court appearance on Oct. 6.
“Not only am I disturbed and disappointed by these allegations, but it also angers me,” said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum in a statement issued Oct. 5. “We ask the public to trust us to do the right thing, to keep them safe. So, when one of our own is accused of despicable acts with a minor, it erodes that trust that sometimes takes years to build.”
Although Anderson has been arrested, the APD’s investigation into the incident is active and ongoing. He is currently being detained at Fulton County Jail. Those with any relevant information are asked to contact the department’s Special Victims Unit at (404) 546-4260, Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477), or online at http://www.StopCrimeAtl.org.
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