ATLANTA — The Atlanta Police Department says a former officer was arrested for a sexual assault they say happened in June.
According to police, officers responded to a woman reporting a sexual assault at 226 Peachtree Street SW, which is the APD Public Safety Headquarters.
The victim told police the assault happened June 6 at a different address, a home on Sparks Street.
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The victim told officers taking down the sexual assault report that she had arranged to meet an APD officer, who identified himself as Muhammad Muhammad, at the Sparks Street location.
Police said the victim had met with Muhammad to provide professional massage services, which she told them he had agreed to pay for.
Once the session started, though, the victim told police that Muhammad became aggressive and began physically touching her.
She said she told Muhammad that her services were not sexual in nature and asked him to stop, and “at some point, the suspect allegedly sexually assaulted the victim.”
After assaulting the victim, she told officers that Muhammad then threatened her while “brandishing a firearm” and allegedly took back what he’d paid for the massage before leaving the scene.
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Atlanta detectives with the Special Victims Unit worked with APD’s Office of Professional Standards to “extensively investigate.” The now-former officer Muhammad was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
On Thursday, APD said they had found probably cause to charge Muhammad. He was arrested at APD headquarters on charges of rape and false imprisonment.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum also terminated Muhammad’s employment with APD after a disciplinary hearing and the former officer was taken to the Fulton County Jail for booking.
“The Atlanta Police Department remains committed to serving its residents and holding its employees to the highest standards. We have been clear, no one is above the law, including members of our own Department,” APD said in a statement. “These allegations are deeply troubling and run counter to the values and expectations of our agency.”
Police said the investigation is ongoing.
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