Lehman Lord Jr., the owner of Lord’s Collision Center in Augusta, remains in jail after his indictment by two grand juries on charges of sexual battery and child molestation on a teenage relative.
Lord, 37, of Scarlett Circle, Evans, has been indicted on charges of child molestation, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and electronic furnishing of obscene material to a minor in Richmond County, according to authorities. In Columbia County, he’s been indicted on charges of sexual battery, aggravated sexual battery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, sheriff’s Maj. Rick Whitaker said.
A Richmond County Sheriff’s report filed in December spells out the allegations against Lord by a teenage female relative:
The 15-year-old girl said Lord had sexually abused her on multiple occasions, grabbing her and touching her in a sexual manner leading up to the primary assault on June 1, 2013.
The teen said she attended a party at one of her friend’s houses June 1 and she became intoxicated. She contacted Lord to pick her up. Back at Lord’s home in Evans, the victim fell asleep and woke up to find the suspect’s hand down her pants. The next morning, he acted like nothing had happened.
The victim showed investigators text messages from Lord last summer saying he wanted to be the teen relative’s “snuggle bunny” and that he didn’t want her to think he was a pervert. There was also a picture that was taken that showed both her and Lord posing together as she smoked what she stated was marijuana.
An investigation led to the April 1st indictment of Lord and he is being held under no bond.
A woman identifying herself as Lord’s wife answered the phone at Lord’s Collision Center Friday and said she stands by her husband’s innocence. The woman said the accuser is a “rebellious teenager” who wants to remain in a relationship with a boy who is 4 years older than she is.
