DECATUR, GA— A former Lithonia police officer has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to raping a woman during a traffic stop in a park.
David Wilborn, 45, entered a guilty plea to charges of Rape, Aggravated Assault, False Imprisonment (two counts), Sexual Contact by Employee or Agent in the First Degree, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, and Violation of Oath by Public Officer (five counts).
Wilborn raped the woman after ordering her male friend, who was driving, and her from the vehicle in which they were riding, according to DeKalb District Attorney Sherry Boston’s Office.
The assault happened in 2019 at Lithonia Park in DeKalb County. According to the investigation, as the woman and her friend were driving away from the location, Wilborn blocked their vehicle in with his patrol car. He then approached the driver and asked for his identification. He ordered the man out of the car and told him to get on the ground face down in front of the vehicle.
The officer then asked the female passenger for her identification. He ordered her to walk to the back of the vehicle where he brandished his weapon before raping her. After the assault, Wilborn told the victim to repeat the words “nothing happened.”
The officer then told the victim’s friend he could get off the ground and allowed them both to get back in the car and leave. The victim immediately called police after arriving home and described the unknown police officer to law enforcement. Through further investigation, detectives identified Wilborn as the perpetrator of the assault.
Prior to his employment with the Lithonia Police Department, Wilborn was a police officer with the Atlanta Police Department where he resigned after a 2007 allegation of sexual assault. No charges were filed against him, the Dsitrict Attorney’s Office said.
Wilborn was sentenced by DeKalb County Judge David Irwin to a term of life in prison to serve 25 years without parole, with the balance on probation. Wilborn must also register as a sex offender.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Joanna Helsby, assigned to the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit, with assistance from Senior ADA Bernard Ussery and DA Supervising Investigator Sam Washington. Sgt. Tracy Benjamin of the DeKalb Police Department led the initial investigation.