ATHENS, Ga. -- Two men out on probation have been rearrested for similar crimes in Athens in unrelated incidents, authorities said.
11Alive has learned the man charged with raping a teenager in Athens was just months into an 11-year probation sentence when the attack occurred.
Jeffrey Maurice Jones, 33, was taken into custody Tuesday.
According to Athens-Clarke County police, Jones lured his victim to a Clarke County home and assaulted a teenage girl. After the attack, Jones cut off his ankle monitor and left the area.
"We praise and applaud our victim for coming forward. She very likely kept others from being victimized," Athens-Clarke County Police Major Marc Sizemore said.
He was arrested by U.S. Marshals, who worked with Athens-Clarke County police, state probation officials and the Clarke County Sheriff's Department to track him down.
Jones was charged with rape, aggravated sodomy and probation violation.
11Alive's Duffie Dixon uncovered a criminal record for Jones that included eight years in jail for aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, and enticing a child for indecent purposes. The victim was eight years old. After serving his time, he started to serve his 11 years of probation in June 2014.
In an unrelated incident, another man out on bond was arrested on similar charges. Jason Aragon, 28, was out on bond awaiting trial on rape and sexual battery charges when authorities said he tried to rape a 12-year-old girl.
In Aragon's case, he was ordered to wear a tracking device on his ankle as part of his $40,000 Bond. Back in June, a judge agreed to let him go without out.
Two different agencies were monitoring the men. In Aragon's case, it was the county probation office. The State Department of Corrections Probation Office was tracking Jones. At this point, both say it appears all protocols were followed.
