By Joe Johnson | Athens Banner-Herald
A Clarke County Grand Jury recently indicted a former Athens-Clarke County police officer on charges he sexually assaulted a juvenile while he was still wearing the badge.
CAP Capt Kristin Matthew “Kris” Ward was charged with aggravated sexual battery, child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes and violation of his oath as a police officer, according to the indictment filed Dec 8 in Clarke County Superior Court.
According to the indictment, the alleged victim was under 16 years old when he allegedly was assaulted between September 2010 and November 2011. He was said at the time to be a cadet with the Civil Air Patrol, a U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, and Capt Ward was Commander of the [Clark County Composite Squadron] unit based at Athens-Ben Epps Airport. Cadets are between 12-16 years old. When arrested in April, Capt Ward was a Deputy Commander for the Civil Air Patrol in Barrow County.
For the enticement charge, the indictment alleges Ward took the alleged victim to an apartment on Westchester Drive “for the purpose of molesting and performing indecent acts upon the child.”
The alleged victim came forward with his allegations against Ward in April, at which time the 27-year-old officer was suspended with pay.
Captain Carter Greene, who was acting police chief at the time, said Ward was fired after a subsequent internal affairs investigation determined he violated his oath of office and other departmental directives.
The police department referred the criminal aspects of the alleged victim’s accusations to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which found there was probable cause to arrest Ward on sexual assault and related charges.
Athens defense attorney Morris Wiltshire, who is representing Ward, said his client told him the allegations were baseless.
“His side is he’s absolutely innocent and he’s eager to establish that he’s not guilty of these charges.” Wiltshire said. “Kris is devastated anyone would say these things about him.”
The attorney said the criminal charges appeared to be based solely on the alleged victim’s allegations.
Capt Ward’s career in law enforcement began in 2007, when he worked as a communications officer for the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office. He was hired by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department in 2009 and rose to the rank of senior police officer.
He was terminated from the Athens police force for violations of department directives that include conduct unbecoming an officer, loyalty and integrity, truthfulness, and law enforcement code of conduct.
Capt Kris Ward
Counts
One of the senior members in my unit must of been buzzed because she let it slip that JFK assassin Lee Harvard Oswald had been a CAP cadet and that David Ferrie, a pilot pedophile, was in the program too. She got the death stare from the commander, but soon after all the cadets had looked it up.
@fish.
The article above shows how Mr Ward is charged. There has been no resolution or announcement of a guilty or innocent verdict to this date. If a CAP cadet has falsely made these statements, then that is of equal interest to those working in this program.
Also, acting police chief Captain Carter Greene stated that Ward was fired after a subsequent internal affairs investigation determined he violated his oath of office and other departmental directives.
Count 1.) AGGRAVATED SEXUAL BATTERY 10/1/2010
Count 2.) CHILD MOLESTATION 10/1/2010
Count 3.) ENTICING A CHILD FOR INDECENT PURPOSES 10/1/2010
Count 4.) VIOLATION OF OATH BY PUBLIC OFFICER 10/1/2010
This website has many good things on it that should be brought to light. But this fellow was in command of my squadron and the kid that made all these allegations said that he would wave is service weapon around to silence cadets. that is some bull sh*t. He never waved his service or any weapon for that matter. I am 16 and to this day I would trust ward. Even if I was alone with him. I call bs on this specific article. Auxbeacon.org I would like you guys to keep up the good work on putting light on the bad but the usaf and cap are not just a bunch of rapists. we do some good. thanks a lot.