Gwinnett Deputy Charged With Child Molestation

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — A Gwinnett County sheriff's deputy was arrested Wednesday on charges that he had sexual relations with a 13-year-old boy.

Michael Lomax, 31, was employed as a jailer with the county for two years. He is charged with aggravated child molestation by sodomy.

According to the sheriff's office, Lomax is accused of performing oral sex on a 13-year-old he met on Grindr, a social networking app designed to help users "chat, share photos and meet up with guys near you," according to its website.

The victim's mother learned of the encounter and reported the incident to Lilburn Police. Their investigation was turned over to Gwinnett County Police, who obtained a warrant for Lomax's arrest.

Deputies arrested Lomax at his home in Stone Mountain without incident Wednesday afternoon.

He was transported to Gwinnett County Jail, where he resigned in lieu of being terminated, the sheriff's office said.

Sheriff Butch Conway urged parents to be mindful of the social apps their children are using.

"While I am extremely disappointed in the actions of Michael Lomax and glad to see him behind bars, I am also alarmed that minors can access social media apps of this nature and utilize them to meet strangers," Conway said in a news release. "It’s a good idea for parents to be aware of the social media apps on their kids’ phones and this is a good example of why that’s important."

Photo courtesy Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office