After more than six weeks of investigation, the Roswell Police Department has asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to assist them as they search for additional victims of Robert Vandel, a 63-year-old teacher from Canton.
Vandel was arrested on Sept. 3, 2021, just three days after Roswell Police began an investigation into the rape of a student at Fulton Academy of Science and Technology (FAST) Charter School on Crabapple Road in Roswell.
Vandel was charged at the time with:
- Rape
- Aggravated Assault with Intent to Rape a Child Under 14
- Aggravated Child Molestation
- Sexual Assault by Persons in Supervisory Authority
- Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes
- False Imprisonment of a Child Less Than 14
The reported victim was a student in Vandel's science class, according to police.
At the time of Vandel's arrest, investigators believed there might be victims in Holly Springs and Cherokee County. As the investigation progressed, they believed there could be victims in a number of other cities.
"Investigators believe that there are more victims in Holly Springs, Canton, Woodstock, Valdosta, Duluth, Savannah, Midland, GA and Opelika, AL and because of the multi-jurisdictional implications asked the GBI to assist in the efforts of locating these victims," said GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles in a statement released Friday, Oct. 22.
Miles said all victims that have been identified to date were children under the age of 15 when they were reportedly assaulted.
She said anyone with information that can help investigators is urged to contact Roswell Police Department Detective Cheryl Dickerson by email at [email protected] or call 770-640-4453.
