Police Arrest Man in Decatur Accused of Raping Five Women

DeKalb County Courthouse

Decatur, Ga. - A man has been arrested for being the perpetrator in five different rape cases. Five women have come forward to police reporting that the man met them online. He then met them in person and in each instance, he allegedly threatened these women at knifepoint and then raped them.

As a Georgia Sex Crimes Attorney, I will outline the law behind the offense of rape in Georgia.

Rape in Georgia

The term rape (much like sexual assault) is thrown around often to describe acts or crimes that are not fitting by law. Rape in Georgia is defined in O.C.G.A. §16-6-1 as:

(a) A person commits the offense of rape when he has carnal knowledge of:

(1) A female forcibly and against her will; or

(2) A female who is less than ten years of age.

Carnal knowledge in rape occurs when there is any penetration of the female sex organ by the male sex organ. The fact that the person allegedly raped is the wife of the defendant is not a defense to a charge of rape.

Rape is classified as a felony. If a defendant is convicted of rape by taking their case to trial, they can face either the death penalty, life in prison without parole, or a statutory minimum of 25 years in prison followed by lifetime probation.

In addition to prison, fines, or both, a person over 21 years of age that is convicted of rape must register as a sex offender with the state of Georgia on the Georgia Sex Offender Registry. The offender faces more charges if he or she fails to register.

Practice Note

Sex Crimes in Georgia are handled very seriously. However, just because a person has been accused of committing a sex crime does not mean that he or she has committed the offense. If you have been arrested or accused, call our offices now. We can help you today.