Ex-official held on child molestation charge,

Several Ind., Mich. youths reportedly molested in Ga.

A former Henry County commissioner, in jail since Friday, is the subject of a multi-state inves- tigation involving allegations of child molestation, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has learned.

Gary Michael Freedman, who served on the Henry County Board of Commissioners more than a decade ago, was arrested Friday at his Henry County home. The 71year-old was charged with two counts of aggravat- ed sexual battery and one count each of aggravated child molestation and sexual battery. The sexual battery charge involves someone under the age of 16.

The alleged acts occurred at Freedman’s Henry County home around 2006, according to Cynthia Adkins, special agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Freedman appeared before a Henry Magistrate judge on Monday. His next scheduled appearance is Aug. 11.

The GBI issued arrest warrants after the Indiana State Police contacted the agency a month ago requesting an investigation.

“There are other juveniles who were allegedly molested by him as well, but those occurred in other states,” Adkins said Wednesday. Adkins said there are allegations of “several other victims in Indiana and Michigan.”

Indiana authorities began looking into the case after the allegations emerged as the victims were undergoing counseling.

None of the victims live in Georgia. The alleged molestations occurred over a span of several years about a decade ago.

Freedman, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, served eight years on the board of commissioners, including a stint as vice chairman, before making an unsuccessful bid for chairman in 2004.