GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County man accused of advertising himself as a witch doctor as a way to sexually assault a woman will spend the rest of his life in prison.
A jury found Hasaan Shalgheen guilty of rape, false imprisonment, theft by deception, sexual battery, and battery, according to the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office.
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Channel 2 Action News first reported on Shalgheen’s arrest in Feb. 2023.
Duluth police responded to the Berkeley Landing Apartments at 3700 Peachtree Industrial Blvd regarding a sexual assault call. Detectives met with a victim who said she was sexually assaulted by Shalgheen.
She described him as a “witch doctor” and that she went to his apartment on Feb. 5, 2023 to be “cleansed” during a “ritual.” Prosecutors said she sent Shalgheen a deposit and promised to make payments over a 30-day period.
The victim testified that she was told the ritual would take three hours and Shalgheen gave her a white nightgown to wear.
The victim refused to take off her clothes, but saw a handgun on a table and changed into the nightgown ”out of fear,” according to prosecutors. She stated that he removed the clothing, forced himself onto her, and then raped her.
Prosecutors said Shalgheen let the woman get dressed but told her to send another $300 to him.
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Channel 2 Action News previously obtained body camera footage that showed more than a dozen Duluth police officers - some with shields and helmets – to take Shalgheen into custody.
After Channel 2 Action News reports and Shalgheen’s arrest, four other women came forward and described similar encounters with Shalgheen. Two of them testified during his trial, according to prosecutors.
It took the jury a day and half to deliberate before reaching a guilty verdict.
“Victims should not have to feel like they are alone when dealing with this type of crime,” Gwinnett District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “We encourage people who have experienced such heinous crimes to come forward and we will get justice. We thank the team that worked on this case, and we thank the jury for returning a conviction.”
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