By Joe Johnson
An Athens man was arrested over the weekend for allegedly sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl.
The alleged incident happened on or around Oct. 8, when Rolando Ernesto Lara, 40, of Jefferson River Road was visiting a friend in west Athens, according to Athens-Clarke County Police Department’s public information officer, Lt. Shaun Barnett.
“The victim's father eventually fell asleep, at which point the suspect entered the victim's bedroom and began kissing the victim and using his hands to touch her breasts and vagina,” he said.
Following an investigation, police obtained warrants charging Lara with aggravated sexual battery, child molestation, and two counts of sexual battery of a child under 16.
He was arrested on the warrants early Saturday morning, and as of Tuesday was being detained at the Athens-Clarke County Jail after being denied bond by a Magistrate Court judge.