Child rape suspect among 7 charged in Fort Valley State sex scandal

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has learned that a child rape suspect is among the seven people charged in a pimping and prostitution investigation centered around Fort Valley State University.

On Friday, the Peach County District Attorney's Office named the seven suspects, including Alecia Johnson, the former FVSU president's aide and campus Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority advisor.

Channel 2 investigative reporter Nicole Carr first broke the story about Johnson's involvement in April, shortly after she resigned from her position at the university. She faces more than a dozen counts of pimping, prostitution and attempted theft charges from 2015 to 2017.

Johnson turned herself in to the Peach County jail on Monday under a $20,000 consent bond, according to her attorney.

Carr has now confirmed another suspect, Devontae Little, is the same Warner Robins man at the center of a criminal and civil case tied to the recent alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl.

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Little, 26, is accused of assaulting the teen in April at a Georgia Center for Youth facility in Taylor County.

At the time, the teen, who is in foster care, was assigned to the state-contracted facility by the Division of Family and Children Services, and Little served as a human services professional.

Carr spoke on Monday with the attorney for the girl’s family.

Guy Notte said his client is currently in psychiatric care, months after being bribed with alcohol and made to perform sexual acts on the adult. Little's office was where the teen could access a phone to call home, Notte said.

Little’s attorney denied the Taylor County charges last month, but did not comment on the current investigation in Fort Valley.

“What he is, is he’s just a sexual predator,” said Notte, referring to Little’s alleged involvement in the FVSU sex scandal.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “We did a background investigation on him. He was totally and unequivocally unqualified to be a human services professional around children, to take care of children.”

MORE SUSPECTS

While Channel 2 Action News has not confirmed the whereabouts or occupation of one suspect, 35-year-old Ryan Jenkins, Carr has learned more about the remaining men charged in the prostitution case.

On Friday, Carr confirmed that Charles Jones, 57, who was the university’s chief legal counsel, was fired toward the end of the probe.

Kenneth Howard, 56, serves as the Hinesville city manager.

A message left with his attorney on Monday morning was not returned, but city leaders met Monday afternoon to discuss Howard’s future with the municipality.

Ernest Harvey, 47, is an assistant principal at Huntington Middle School in Houston County. The district did not respond to an inquiry Monday about his employment status.

Auther “Arthur” Nance Jr., 46, is a Crisp County commissioner, a mortician and a pastor. A county employee told Carr she expects he will remain in his vice chair position as the charges are merely allegations.

Johnson's attorney, who told Carr months ago that she was "not a pimp or a madam," said he is looking forward to gathering discovery in the case.

"As soon as we get the names of the accuser or accusers, then we'll be able to develop our strategy
and start shooting shots back at them," Adrian Patrick told Carr on Monday.

While investigators have not revealed whether Fort Valley State University students were victimized in a prostitution ring, the university released a statement on Friday that says “student safety and security” is a top priority amid the investigation.

Patrick said the question is: What were the people involved doing before Johnson was affiliated with them?

“An adult makes an adult decision on their own behalf,” Patrick said. “She didn’t have any guns or nothing like that.”

When Carr asked Patrick whether his statement was an admission to the charges, he maintained his client’s innocence.

All of the suspects are expected to turn themselves in before Tuesday, and prosecutors maintain this is an ongoing investigation.

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to call the Georgia Bureau of Investigation at 478-987-4545.

Cox Media Group