Former Lithonia police officer pleads guilty to rape

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced June 3 a conviction by guilty plea in the rape case against a former Lithonia police officer.

During court proceedings June 3, 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).

Officials from the district attorney’s office said the charges against Wilborn date back to a 2019 stop involving a motorist and his passenger at Lithonia Park in DeKalb County. According to the investigation, as the two were driving away from the location, Wilborn blocked their vehicle with his patrol car.

“He then approached the driver and asked for his identification. The officer then 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 then brandished his weapon before raping her,” a news release from the district attorney’s office states.

The news release said that after the assault, Wilborn told the victim to repeat the words “nothing happened,” and 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 called police after arriving home and described the unknown police officer to law enforcement, the release continues, and through further investigation detectives identified Wilborn as the perpetrator of the assault.

The news release states that prior to his employment with Lithonia Police Department, Wilborn was an officer with Atlanta Police Department; he resigned after a 2007 allegation of sexual assault. No charges were filed against him.

Following his guilty plea, Wilborn was sentenced by DeKalb County Senior Judge David Irwin to “a term of life in prison to serve 25 years without parole, with the balance on probation.”

Officials from the district attorney’s office said 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.