Ex Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy Arrested, Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Inmate

DOUGLASVILLE, GA — A former Douglas County sheriff's deputy was arrested earlier this week after being accused of sexually assaulting an inmate and taking nude photos of another, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said.

Austin Cole Sluder, 27, was hired as a deputy sheriff recruit in July, sworn in as a deputy sheriff on Sept. 13, 2021 and assigned to work at the jail while awaiting reassignment to the patrol division.

Seven days after he was sworn in, a female inmate filed a formal complaint accusing Sluder of using his cell phone to take nude photos of her in her cell back in July, the sheriff's office said.

The complaint was turned over to the Office of Professional Standards for investigation, and while it concluded Sluder took his phone into the cell, it "could not determine with certainty" that Sluder took the nude photos of the inmate, according to the sheriff's office.

However, based on this information, Sluder was dismissed from employment while under probationary status on Oct. 20, 2021. Following his dismissal, another female inmate came forward.

The second inmate accused Sluder of forcing her to perform oral sex on him while she was in custody, authorities said. Sheriff Tim Pounds then requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to conduct a criminal investigation into the report.

Following the GBI investigation, Sluder was arrested Tuesday and charged with one count of sexual assault by a law enforcement officer and one count of violating his oath of office, according to jail records.

Sluder had a bond hearing Wednesday morning in front of Chief Magistrate Judge Susan Camp, and received a bond of $200,000. Upon making bond and being released from jail, he will be required to wear a tracking device.

"I've said this before and I'm going to say it again. As long as you follow the law and my policy I will back you 110 percent," Pounds said. "However, if you step outside the law or the policy, you are on your own. If you violate the law, you, like everyone else, will have to suffer the consequences of your actions."