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Victims outraged police captain who assaulted women will not face state charges

ATLANTA — Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne has learned the state is not moving forward with the case of a prison captain who admitted in federal court to assaulting several women.

Winne was with the Georgia Department of Corrections the day of Capt. Edgar Daniel Johnson's arrest.

Two of his victims now say even though he pleaded to federal charges, they hope he can be prosecuted on a state indictment also brought against him so he can get the kind of time he deserves.

But it looks like that may not happen.

Marissa Adkins and Stephanie Walker said they were inmates at Emanuel Women's Facility when Johnson sexually assaulted them against their will.

But Johnson was the one in inmate clothes on June 11 when he addressed the judge who sentenced him in federal court in Savannah to four years and three months in prison.

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Both women said they were stunned to find out afterward about a plan to dismiss state charges against Johnson.

“That part I am upset about,” Walker told Winne. “That’s not enough time.”

“I don’t want to cry, man, but I’m so mad. I’m so mad,” Adkins said. “I’m somebody's mother. I’m somebody's daughter. I’m somebody's granddaughter. I mean something to somebody.”

Emanuel County District Attorney Hayward Altman said letting the feds take over the case was the victims' best shot at justice.

He said Johnson was from there and the victims weren't.

“He was very popular in this community and he was related to a lot of people,” Altman told Winne. “These victims were validated by what took place. Justice is not perfect.”

Adkins and Walker said they are two of the three victims Johnson admitted to sexually assaulting when he pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges and more.

Both say they’re happy with the job the feds did on their case, but last year, Johnson was also indicted on state charges, including 11 counts of sexual assault of an inmate at a correctional facility.

“I want the state of Georgia to put him on trial,” Adkins said.

Johnson's federal plea agreement indicates the Emanuel County District Attorney's Office has stated its intent to dismiss all pending state charges if Johnson successfully pleaded to the federal counts and was sentenced for them.

But it also suggests the feds have no authority concerning any pending state charges.

Altman, Georgia's 2017 district attorney of the year, said, legally, he's not prohibited from moving forward with state charges.

“From a strict legal standpoint, no,” Altman said.

But ethically he believes he is.

“I would feel like it would be unfair if I went back,” Altman said.

“You feel like some justice has been done?” Winne asked Walker.

“Most definitely. Most definitely,” Walker said.

Altman said the state indictment involved 11 victims, though not all were cooperative.

He told Winne that his office did prosecute a second officer for one victim and the officer was sentenced to 20 years to serve five.

Altman said he's willing to speak with the victims. He said he spoke with Walker while Winne was in town for the interview.

Altman said he looks forward to speaking with Adkins as well.