Athens man indicted for alleged child rape

Andrew Ben Aissa Elasri

By Joe Johnson

An Athens grand jury has indicted a man on charges in connection with the alleged rape last year of a girl who was under 16 years old.

Andrew Ben Aissa Elasri, 21, was charged with statutory rape, child molestation, and two counts each of sexual battery of a child, and enticing a child for indecent purposes, according to the indictment that was filed Tuesday in Clarke County Superior Court.

The indictment alleges that in July 2023 Elasri enticed the victim to his apartment on Barnett Shoals Road, where he engaged in sex acts that included intercourse.

Following an investigation by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Elasri was arrested in May of this year.

Judge Donarell Green denied him bail at a subsequent hearing in Magistrate Court and he’s been in pretrial detention ever since at the county jail.

An arraignment is scheduled for August 7.