Floyd County corrections sergeant arrested for choking handcuffed, juvenile detainee

ROME, Ga. — The Floyd County Sheriff’s Office arrested a member of the sheriff’s office working at the Bob Richards Regional Youth Detention Center, who was charged after an incident with a juvenile detainee.

According to an arrest affidavit, Juvenile Correctional Sergeant Naji Cooke, of Rome, was arrested after allegedly choking a juvenile detainee on the morning of Feb. 9.

The affidavit says Cooke is accused of willfully and intentionally violating his oath of office when he entered a detainee’s cell and choked the youth while they were handcuffed.

More specifically, the affidavit says Cooke is accused of assaulting the detainee with “an object, device or instrument, which when used offensively, is likely to result in serious bodily injury or strangulation by restricting the juvenile’s airway.”

The record states Cooke took his oath of office as a correctional officer in 2020.

The Sheriff’s office said Cooke has been charged with aggravated assault with strangulation and violation of the oath of office. Information was not immediately available as to the juvenile’s status condition. The victim was not identified.

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