A Richmond County deputy jailer was arrested and fired this week after investigators say he sexually assaulted a female inmate at the county detention center last fall.
What’s Happening
Avery Matthew Wood, 23, of Hephzibah, was charged Tuesday with three felonies: violation of oath of office, rape, and sexual assault. He had worked as a deputy jailer at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center since November 2023.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says the assaults happened between October and November 2025 while the woman was incarcerated at the facility on Phinizy Road.
The Timeline
January 2: Internal Affairs received a complaint about Wood involving a female inmate.
January 5: The case was referred to the Criminal Investigation Division after a preliminary review found the allegations could be criminal. Chief Lewis Blanchard terminated Wood that morning for policy violations…