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Written by: E. George
Published June 20, 2024 @ 7:45 PM ET
Warning: The following report describes alleged sexual violence/assault.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. – Authorities arrested a 47-year-old Guyton man after his employee reported that he sexually assaulted her. She explained that she and her co-worker spent the night at their boss’s residence, and he assaulted her during the night while she slept.
An Effingham County sheriff’s deputy responded to a sexual assault report at the Hodgeville Fire Station on May 27, 2024, and spoke with the 29-year-old victim and a witness. The victim said they were at their boss’s home eating and drinking when he told her to go sleep on the couch because she appeared tired.
She fell asleep and awoke to someone touching and kissing her. She went back to sleep and woke again to her boss, Wonpyo Ko, touching her again.
She saw that he had removed her clothing. She said he then penetrated her with his penis.
The witness said that after they ate, their boss told him to go upstairs to sleep. Sometime later, he awoke to a noise downstairs and saw their boss on the couch with the victim. He told him to go back to sleep upstairs.
He woke up to more noise and went downstairs to find their boss near the victim with her dress hiked up and her shirt off with her breasts exposed.
The witness explained that they had taken an Uber to the victim’s home after the assault, where she showered, and then they drove to the fire station to report the rape. The deputy said that since she had showered after the attack, they could complete the SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) exam a little later.
He instructed her to place the clothing she wore during the assault into a bag to be submitted as evidence.
The deputy noticed that both the victim and witness appeared intoxicated. He noted that the victim presented slurred speech and an unsteady gait and “was throwing up constantly.”
Ko was charged with misdemeanor sexual battery and aggravated sexual battery. This case is pending.
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On 05/27/2024, I responded to the Hodgeville Fire Station in reference to a Sexual Assault. Upon arrival, I spoke with [WITNESS #1] and [VICTIM #1]. [VICTIM #1] stated she had been at her bosses residence of [200 BLOCK] Haisley Run in Guyton, Ga 31312 here in Effingham County. While at her boss’ (Wonpyo Ko) residence, all three of them began drinking and eating. Wonpyo suggested that [VICTIM #1] go sleep on the couch because she looked tired. [VICTIM #1] went to the couch and fell asleep.
[VICTIM #1] stated that she woke up, and she felt someone touching her and kissing her. [VICTIM #1] could not state where she felt she was being touched. [VICTIM #1] stated she thought it was her co-worker [WITNESS #1], and she was ok with that and she passed out. [VICTIM #1] woke up again, and stated that her boss Wonpyo had removed her clothing, and began touching her again, and he penetrated [VICTIM #1]. I asked [VICTIM #1] if Wonpyo penetrated her with his fingers and she shook her head. I then asked if he penetrated her with his pe*is and she nodded her head as if to say yes.
I contacted CID at this point and spoke with Investigator Foy. Investigator Foy asked about a SANE exam. I asked [VICTIM #1] if she had showered or cleaned herself after this incident, and [WITNESS #1] answered stating that after they left Haisley Run, they Ubered to [VICTIM #1]’s residence of [2300 BLOCK] Populus Dr in Pooler where [VICTIM #1] showered. I relayed this to Investigator Foy who stated to hold off on doing a SANE exam right away.
I continued to speak with [WITNESS #1], who stated that he had been at the residence with [VICTIM #1]. [WITNESS #1] advised me that his boss, Wonpyo, had told him to go upstairs and sleep. [WITNESS #1] did so, but woke up a couple of times. The first time he woke up, he went downstairs because he heard some noise. [WITNESS #1] stated that his boss was on the couch with [VICTIM #1], and he told [WITNESS #1] to go back to sleep upstairs.
[WITNESS #1] stated that he went back upstairs to sleep. He re awoke to another noise, and when he went downstairs he saw his boss next to [VICTIM #1], and [VICTIM #1]’s top was off with her breasts exposed, and her dress was hiked up. [WITNESS #1] stated that he and [VICTIM #1] left the residence in an Uber, they returned to [VICTIM #1]’s residence where [VICTIM #1] showered. [WITNESS #1] then went to the Hodgeville Fire Station off of Hodgeville Rd with [VICTIM #1], and they reported the incident to Law Enforcement.
Investigator Foy requested that when [VICTIM #1] returned home, the clothes she had been wearing during the rape be put into a bag, and kept preserved until they were able to be retrieved. I relayed this message to [VICTIM #1] and [WITNESS #1].
Both [WITNESS #1] and [VICTIM #1] were intoxicated. [VICTIM #1] appeared to be having difficulty with the alcohol she had consumed, and presented with slurred speech, unsteady gait, and was throwing up constantly. I returned to Service with a report and turned the case over to Investigators for further investigation.
[End of Narrative]