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Cobb deputies charged with sexually assaulting inmates

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — For the second time in recent weeks, a Cobb County deputy has found himself on the other side of jail bars for allegedly sexually assaulting an inmate.

"I'm embarrassed. I'm embarrassed for myself; I'm embarrassed for the men and women of the Cobb County Sheriff's Office," Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren said.

Warren told Channel 2's Ross Cavitt he's heartbroken two of his veteran deputies, sergeants with more than 10 years with the department, have now been charged with sexually assaulting female inmates under their control.

Investigators charged Sgt. Alvin Sutherland with four felonies, including three sex charges and violating his oath of office for an incident inside the jail last month.

That prompted an intense internal investigation that led to the arrest of Sgt. Kristopher Travitz on essentially the same charges for an incident that allegedly happened two years ago.

"Neither one of these inmates (came) forward. We had to seek them out," Warren told Cavitt.

Ronald Black was recently an inmate and said deputies occasionally have time alone with inmates while transporting them within or to locations outside the jail. There are places they can be alone.

"Easy access to staff closets, cleaning closets really," Black said.

"Are there places in there not under video surveillance?" Cavitt asked Black.

"Yes sir," Black answered.

Warren said the arrests leave him disheartened but he vows his department will never look the other way.

"When we find out about these issues, we're going to look into them and we're going to correct them. And we're going to bring it to the forefront and let the public know what's going on," said Warren.

Warren told Cavitt he knows that stories like this will bring more accusations to light and said his department is fully willing and capable to investigate those claims.

Sutherland and Travitz are being held without bond in other jails in the area.

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