HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — When the 24-year-old was originally questioned by police, he reportedly denied allegations of sexual battery. But police said that changed as they questioned him more.
Malcolm Rhodes was arrested on Nov. 22 on charges of sexual battery against a 15-year-old.
Rhodes is a well-known figure in Henry and Coweta Counties, frequently booked for child and teen events at schools - including some within the Henry County Public School system - and skate parks.
"The defendant is a contract 'DJ' and is affiliated with local venues in Henry County," the police department said during a court hearing Thursday.
The case against Rhodes began back on Sept. 7. According to court testimony, Rhodes went to the 15-year-old boy’s house when his father wasn’t home under the pretense of selling him some AirPods. A neighbor alerted the teen’s father to a strange car at home, police testified. The teen's parent came home, but Rhodes was already gone. Under questioning from the father, the teen admitted to engaging in kissing and other “sexual acts,” testimony outlined.
On Nov. 22, police arrested Rhodes and began questioning him about the allegations, officials said. In court Thursday, police said Rhodes originally denied the sexual battery, but later admitted to it.
Rhodes was ultimately denied bond during that court hearing and remains in jail.
Henry County Police said there have been “numerous” allegations against Rhodes since his arrest in November. Police say more charges are possible.
In November, when Rhodes was first arrested, Henry County School district released a statement to parents saying it was shocked by the allegations, but it did not have evidence of any inappropriate behavior on its campuses.
11Alive's Kaitlyn Ross spoke to a man whom Rhodes lived with at one point, when the DJ was still working to make ends meet. He said he found the DJ's behavior disturbing.
"My wife told me from the beginning, she's like, 'you know, something's off about him,'" he recalled. "She didn't really want this to happen. She was really pushing every single week that he lived with us, but she wanted him gone."
Jefferson Cochran contributed to this report.
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