FORT VALLEY, Ga. — Seven people allegedly tied to a sex scandal at Fort Valley State have been indicted just shy of a year after the state launched an investigation into disturbing claims.
Among the indicted was Alecia Johnson, a former executive assistant to the Fort Valley State president. She was accused of arranging acts between at least one woman and six men. She's also accused of prostitution herself.
A grand jury in Peach County ultimately indicted her on six counts of prostitution, four counts of pimping and two counts of solicitation.
PHOTOS: Fort Valley State University sex scandal mugshots
High-ranking officials also indicted
Several men also face one count each of solicitation of sodomy and two counts of pandering. Many also held major titles in their own towns - and one even held a high position at Fort Valley State.
Fifty-eight-year-old Charles Jones was Fort Valley State's former director of government relations and the former chief legal officer. 11Alive previously found he held other titles according to his now-removed bio page on the university's website. The biography also stated he was married and had three children.
Further investigation, though, showed he wasn't the only person in the indictment who held a high-ranking position in some government agency.
Ernest Harvey of Kathleen was also charged in 2018 and indicted recently. WMAZ reports the 47-year-old man was previously an assistant principal at Huntington Middle School. School officials said he was no longer with the district.
Kenneth Howard, the 57-year-old city manager of Hinesville, was also named. And 46-year-old Arthur James Nance Jr., the vice chairman of the Crisp County Commission was indicted as well.
Two others, 32-year-old Ryan Jenkins of Albany and 26-year-old Devontae Little of Warner Robins are also listed in the indictment on the same charges as the other men.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: These are the men charged in the Fort Valley university pimping and prostitution scandal
How the sex scandal began
Fort Valley State University first went under investigation by the GBI for alleged employee misconduct involving students and outside players in 2018. GBI Special Agent J.T. Ricketson said the agency was requested by the Georgia Board of Regents and Attorney General's office to "look into a matter" at the university.
Ricketson said their criminal investigation began April 12, 2018. While he wouldn't categorize the investigation, posts on Twitter and other social media platforms pointed to a sex scandal with the Alpha Beta chapter of the oldest historically black sorority in the world, Alpha Kappa Alpha.
The aftermath
A little more than a week after allegations surfaced of a sex scandal involving the chapter and a member of the Fort Valley State University administration, the chapter was suspended.
A letter from the South Atlantic regional director of the sorority outlined the suspension and said the investigation was spurred after she “received information regarding unauthorized activities and misconduct involving current and former members of Alpha Beta Chapter.”
In a statement to 11Alive, the sorority said that it was "appalled" by the allegations and had begun its own investigation.
“These allegations are in no way representative of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s 110-year service-based mission or its nearly 300,000 members. We condemn these allegations in the strongest possible terms. We remain dedicated to our mission to encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, promote unity, alleviate problems concerning girls and women, create opportunities for them to pursue higher education and be of service to millions of people around the world annually,” the statement read in part.
They also identified a Fort Valley employee who was placed on administrative leave, who was later identified as Johnson, as one of their own. Johnson eventually resigned.
Some information was provided by 11Alive's sister station, 13WMAZ in Macon.