Rankin County Tax Assessor John Sullivan has been indicted on three counts of sexual battery and one of simple battery, according to officials.
Sullivan, 52, was arrested by the Attorney General‘s office on a charge of rape of a person over 16. He was accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old female who was incapacitated after a night of drinking. The alleged incident occurred after the Saint Paddy’s Day parade on March 26.
As the Attorney General’s office conducted their investigation, information began to leak out when someone requested footage from a DUI stop in Byram just a few hours before the alleged rape occurred. On that video is Sullivan, well past the legal limit, and police are talking to him about five young women in his truck. He says he doesn’t know how old they were. It turned out three of the five were under 21.
In the arrest report, Sullivan is accused of giving the victim a substance which prevents resistance. In the indictment, he is accused of performing various sex acts upon her while she was incapacitated, as well.
Under the charge of sexual battery is included the charge that the suspect had sex with a “mentally defective, mentally incapacitated or physically helpless person.” Sullivan is charged with three counts. A sexual battery charge carries up to 30 years in prison.
The fourth charge was in connection with his allegedly grabbing the victim by the throat and throwing her on the bed.
This story has been updated since the indictment has become available.
