VILLA RICA, Ga. — A metro Atlanta police officer is in jail and without a job after an investigation into child enticement allegations led to his arrest in a neighboring county.
Villa Rica Police announced on Friday that 54-year-old Matthew Edwards of Douglasville, Georgia - an officer for the City of South Fulton - had been arrested on Thursday.
Police said that an investigation began in December regarding inappropriate text messages that were allegedly between Edwards and an 11-year-old child.
"It was discovered through the investigation that Edwards had sent the text messages and, on one occasion, had committed simple battery on the child," the statement said.
The investigation also uncovered Edwards' employment with the other police department. Edwards has since been charged with felony enticement of a child for indecent purposes, a misdemeanor count of simple battery and felony violation of oath of office and taken to the Carroll County Sheriff's Office jail.
Following the arrest, the City of South Fulton Police Department fired Edwards and released a statement from Chief Keith Meadows.
"These are serious criminal allegations against Officer Edwards," he wrote. "We are cooperating with Villa Rica PD in their investigation."
In the statement from South Fulton, the department said it was made aware of the investigation into Edwards in December.
As of Saturday, Edwards' remained in the Carroll County Jail without bond.
His disciplinary record, POST certification and officer photo with the South Fulton Police Department were not readily available at the time this story was written.
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