Dallas Councilman White Facing Sexual Battery Charge

Updated 2:20 p.m.—Added White's arrest report from the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Adult Detention Facility.

A Dallas city councilman is facing one count of sexual battery, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation official said Thursday.

Councilman R. Griffin White is facing the sexual battery charge stemming from an alleged incident that occurred in Paulding County, according to GBI Special Agent in Charge Jerry Scott.

“It stemmed from an encounter with a female business acquaintance—it had nothing to do with his capacity as a councilman,” Scott said.

Scott added that the GBI’s involvement in the case was nothing out of the ordinary.

“Generally, when it involves a politician, a prominent figure in a community, something like that, [a local agency] will ask us to assist in the investigation to make sure that a fair and impartial investigation is conducted by an independent agency,” he said, adding that the GBI had been brought into the fold early in the case.

Though reports published by at least one news outlet earlier Thursday state that the allegation had been made by a Dallas city employee, Scott said he did not believe that was the case.

Mayor Boyd Austin on Thursday said he was aware of the accusation against White and said that it did not involve a city employee. He added that he had not spoken with White about the allegation and that City Attorney Glen Stinson was handling questions directed to the city regarding the accusation.

White has been on the council for more than half a decade. His current four-year term is set to end in 2013.