RINGGOLD — Catoosa authorities arrested a man Tuesday morning, March 18, on multiple child molestation charges — the third incident of this type of crime by a Catoosa resident in three weeks, officials said.

Larry Earl Williams, 53, of 321 Park St., was charged with one count of rape, three counts of child molestation, one count of sexual ex-ploitation of a child and two counts of aggravated sodomy, Catoosa County Sheriff Phil Summers said.

Williams, who is being held without bond in the Catoosa County Detention Center, had recently been under investigation by the Sheriff’s Department after three girls ages 12 and under complained to their parents that he had molested them, Summers said.

The suspect was related to one of the victims and the other two victims were her friends, Summers said.

“This occurred on several occasions,” he said. “One of the children came forward and told her parents of the inappropriate behavior and the parents reported it to us.

“The fact that there were three children involved who gave consistent statements of what had occurred — that was the majority of the evidence in the case,” Summers said.

A search of Williams’ home yielded no additional evidence, the sheriff said. Williams has no prior criminal record, he said.

“At this time, we have no other information that there may be other victims,” he said. “It’s still under investigation, but at this time that’s the only three victims that we are aware of.”

In unrelated cases, the Sheriff’s Department arrested Catoosa residents Jimmy Andy Payne, 40, on rape and child molestation charges March 10, and James Lee Lowery, 56, on child molestation, aggravated child molestation and sexual exploitation of a child charges on Feb. 27. Both suspects are being held without bond at the Catoosa County jail