Former Floyd County sheriff’s deputy Jerry Duke was the subject of three internal investigations, including two that involved a 17-year-old girl he was dating and a separate criminal investigation is still ongoing

Documents obtained by WRGA under the Open Records Act also allude to possible criminal charges if there were inappropriate pictures sent by Duke or the 17-year-old girl via two social media apps they used—Snapchat and KIK.

Snapschat allows users to share pictures which are erased after a few seconds.

KIK is a similar app that some child safety experts have said is used to send nude pictures.

Under a heading, “possible criminal charges” the investigation stated “would depend on if there were pictures sent or received and the nature of the pictures.”

Under Georgia child pornography laws, it is illegal to possess sexually explicit pictures of anyone under the age of 18.

When asked if there could be any additional criminal charges in the case, District Attorney Leigh Patterson said she could not comment because the investigation is ongoing.

The sheriff’s office first looked into Duke’s relationship with the teenager in late December 2013 after receiving a call from a manager where the young girl worked. He was concerned about Duke’s relationship with the girl.

The sheriff’s office internal investigation came two months after Duke had been suspended for having an argument in the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office parking lot with a man over a woman the two were dating. That incident sparked the first internal investigation regarding Duke.

Duke told Chief Deputy Tom Caldwell that the inquiry into his relationship with the teenager was a “witch hunt” and that he thought the girl was 18 and did not learn until later that she was 17.

“I gave her a Bible,” Duke said in the report. He also said the manager was jealous.

He was placed on probation and ordered to cease the relationship.

The sheriff’s office began investigating again after receiving a call from the girl’s parents and they learned he had not ended the relationship.

Duke said in a handwritten letter that he had been asking the teenager to tell her parents “about us” but they didn’t hide their relationship.

He added his attorney told him the sheriff and chief deputy could not tell him he couldn’t date the girl.

Earlier this month, the girl’s parents took out a restraining order against Duke.

Duke was arrested on Friday for violating the order as well as aggravated stalking and is being held in the Fulton County Jail without bond.

Chief Deputy Tom Caldwell said the sheriff’s office feels comfortable that the actions they took with Duke were very fair but they felt the actions taken by Duke while he was employed with the sheriff’s office are not indicative of all the employees of the sheriff’s office.

(WRGA/www.wrgarome.com)