Gwinnett police officer accused of child molestation

A Gwinnett County Police officer has been arrested and charged with child molestation.

Gwinnett County Police officer Patrick Ventura faces serious charges following an internal investigation initiated by his patrol supervisor last month. According to police officials, what began as a probe into discrepancies in Ventura’s patrol activities quickly escalated, drawing in the Special Victims Unit due to concerns about a young girl under 16 years old.

Ventura, who is 28, now faces two counts of child molestation, a count of sexual battery against a child under the age of 16, and a violation of oath of office charge.

As of now, he remains in Gwinnett County Jail with no bond set for his release.

Ventura has been with the police department since October of 2020. He has been terminated from his position.

According to the Gwinnett County Police Department, the specifics of the criminal investigation remain confidential under Georgia law.

Despite the weight of this incident, the Gwinnett County Police Department is to emphasizing its commitment to the community.

“The Gwinnett County Police Department works hard to provide excellent customer service to our community, and we hold one another to a high standard of personal conduct.” police officials said in a statement. “Though the actions of Ventura do not represent the hard-working members of the Gwinnett County Police Department, we hold every one of our officers accountable for their actions.”

Reminder: Crime articles contain only charges and information from police reports and law enforcement statements. Suspects and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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