A former Richmond County deputy jailer faces three felony counts in a case involving a woman held at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center. The formal court listing is narrower and more precise than the first arrest announcement, illustrating why charge-stage reporting must be updated as a case moves forward.
Avery Matthew Wood was arrested and fired in January 2026 after the Richmond County Sheriff's Office investigated alleged sexual conduct with an incarcerated woman. The agency's initial announcement, reported by WRDW, described three felony charges: rape, sexual assault, and violation of oath of office.
A later official Richmond County Superior Court calendar lists case 2026RCCR00282 with a different set of counts: one count of violation of oath by a public officer and two counts of sexual contact by an employee or agent in the first degree. The case appeared on the May 27, 2026 calendar before Judge Kristi G. Connell.
That later court record is the best current public charge list located for this article. It does not explain whether the initial rape allegation was amended, replaced, or otherwise handled. Prison Project found no later public announcement of a guilty plea, trial verdict, dismissal, or sentence through October 7, 2026.
Wood has not been convicted in this case. The allegations and pending charges must not be reported as established guilt.
What the sheriff's office alleged
According to the January report, Internal Affairs received a complaint involving Wood and a woman incarcerated at the Webster Detention Center. Investigators alleged that incidents occurred during October and November 2025 and stopped after the woman was transferred to a state facility.
The sheriff's office said Wood had been hired as a deputy jailer in November 2023. It terminated him after an administrative review, then arrested him as the criminal investigation continued.
The firing is an employment action. The arrest is a procedural event. The court-calendar listing identifies the later criminal counts. None of those facts, separately or together, is a criminal conviction.
The first public report used rape and sexual-assault language. The later court calendar lists two first-degree sexual-contact counts and an oath count. Reporting the later list avoids freezing a case at its arrest-stage wording or implying that an initial charge was proved.
Georgia law recognizes the custody power imbalance
Georgia Code section 16-6-5.1 covers sexual conduct between an employee or agent and a person detained by law enforcement or held in a correctional facility. First-degree charges concern sexually explicit conduct. The statute says a victim's consent is not a defense to prosecution under the section.
That rule addresses the reality of custody. A jail employee controls movement, access, searches, privileges, discipline, safety, and communication. A person behind a locked door cannot bargain on equal terms with the person holding keys and official authority.
How Richmond County families can report staff misconduct
The Richmond County Sheriff's Office publishes a specific Internal Affairs complaint process. Serious complaints, including alleged criminal misconduct or brutality, are handled by Internal Affairs. Complaints can be made in person, by mail or email, through the online form, or by phone.
Call 706-821-1004, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding holidays. The sheriff's site also provides an online complaint form.
Call 911 for an immediate emergency. The sheriff's main number is 706-821-1000. State that the concern involves a person currently in custody and ask for the on-duty jail supervisor.
If the complaint alleges a crime, ask for an incident or complaint number. A lawyer, public defender, or trusted advocate can keep an outside copy of the report and supporting records.
What to include
- The incarcerated person's full name, booking number if known, housing location, and the facility name.
- The employee's name, rank, shift, post, physical description, or other identifying information.
- Dates, times, locations, exact words used, witnesses, camera locations, medical requests, transfers, and any threats or promised favors.
- Copies of letters, envelopes, call logs, messages, grievance receipts, medical slips, disciplinary paperwork, and names of people told soon after the event.
- A separate retaliation log recording threats, segregation, discipline, lost privileges, blocked communication, housing changes, or transfer activity after the report.
Do not circulate intimate images or publish the survivor's identity without informed permission. Ask Internal Affairs how the complaint will be acknowledged and how the complainant can submit additional evidence. Write down the name and title of every person contacted, the date and time, and any tracking number.
A facility complaint may be important, but it may not replace a grievance, criminal report, medical request, preservation letter, civil notice requirement, or court deadline. Families facing possible legal deadlines should seek qualified counsel promptly.
Sources and verification
- Richmond County Superior Court revised calendar call for May 27, 2026.
- WRDW, arrest, termination, and initial-charge reporting, updated January 8, 2026.
- Richmond County Sheriff's Office, current Internal Affairs complaint process.
- Richmond County Sheriff's Office, Charles B. Webster Detention Center information.
- Official Code of Georgia, Title 16, Chapter 6, section 16-6-5.1.
Verification date: October 7, 2026. The arrest, firing, and court-calendar listing are established procedural or administrative facts. The alleged conduct has not been proved in court. Practical information is general and is not legal advice.
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