Man accused of impersonating officer at Wawa, forcing woman into sexual acts

POOLER, Ga. (WTOC/Gray News) - A 45-year-old man was arrested after allegedly impersonating a police officer and forcing a woman to perform sexual acts under the threat of arrest.

According to the Pooler Police Department, Jamel Lamar Kearney approached the victim at a Wawa gas station in April, accused her of drinking and driving, and showed her a fake badge. He told her to get in his vehicle or she would be taken to jail.

The woman complied, and he drove her to an apartment parking lot where he told her she must perform sexual acts on him or he would arrest her. He also told her to lift her shirt and bra, and he touched her. The victim told police she complied out of fear of going to jail, police said.

According to police, Kearney drove to another parking lot and told her to perform the same sexual act on him in an alley. When a car drove by, Kearney stopped.

Police administered a breath test on the victim, which showed she was not impaired.

Surveillance video from the Wawa confirmed the victim’s account, police said, and showed Kearney pacing around the gas station before the victim arrived.

He was observed pacing, scanning his surroundings and looking toward the victim’s vehicle.

“The male then returned to his vehicle, retrieved a blue hoodie and put it on before walking to the victim’s vehicle,” the report reads.

Court records show Kearney was out on bond at the time of the incident for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was not arrested until last week in connection with the April incident.

The victim said she was unaware an arrest had been made, but was relieved to learn of it. Kearney’s wife declined to comment when reached.

Kearney is charged with aggravated sodomy and impersonating a police officer.

He is being held without bond at the Chatham County Jail.