A former Bartow County Sheriff’s Office deputy has been arrested after a Georgia Bureau of Investigation inquiry into allegations of child abuse.
According to the GBI, 31-year-old Andrew Sean Williams of Taylorsville has been charged with one count of misdemeanor battery.
The investigation began on July 10, 2026, after the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office requested the GBI investigate allegations of physical abuse involving a child.
Preliminary information released by the GBI indicates that the child was found walking down a street by law enforcement officers and was taken to the local Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) office. Investigators were later able to identify both the child and the child’s parents.
During the investigation, agents said they uncovered evidence indicating that Williams struck the child multiple times, resulting in minor injuries.
Williams was arrested on July 15 and booked into the Bartow County Jail.
The GBI said the investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information related to the case is encouraged to contact the GBI Tip Line at 800-597-TIPS (8477), submit a tip online, or use the See Something, Send Something mobile application.
Once the investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to the Cherokee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
As with all criminal cases, the charge against Williams is an allegation, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.