Had Been Charged With Harassment And Stalking In Pennsylvania

A TSA security employee who has been charged with the abduction and sexual assault of a woman in Atlanta had previously been convicted of misdemeanor harassment and stalking. He had been hospitalized after attempting suicide following the attack.

The worker, identified by television station WSB in Atlanta as Randal King, allegedly offered the woman a ride home from the airport last week, but instead drove her to a light rail station where he restrained her with a pair of "novelty" handcuffs. He then drove her to his home in Troup County, GA, about 50 miles away, and sexually assaulted her. After the assault, the woman said he handed her a suicide note and gave her his car.

The station learned that King had been charged with nine counts of harassment and "stalking by communication" in Clinton County, PA, in January 2001. He was jailed for three months for missing a court date.

While TSA does have a lengthy list of "disqualifying offenses" for federal employment, they are felonies. Misdemeanor stalking and harassment are not among them.

FMI: www.tsa.gov