DAWSON COUNTY - A Dawsonville woman was arrested Thursday for falsely reporting that she was raped in the woods by an unknown male near her apartment in downtown Dawsonville on Wednesday.

Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson said that the woman, Abbie Danyelle Wesley, 22, was arrested and charged with one count of false statements and writings, a felony charge. The warrant accuses Wesley of knowingly and willfully making a false statement to law enforcement officers that she had been raped by a masked man.

Wesley reported the rape to police at 4:55 a.m. Oct. 4.

"During the initial investigation, Wesley tendered several statements which were subsequently disproven," Johnson said. "Other physical evidence did not substantiate the statements being provided."

During a subsequent interview, Wesley admitted the rape did not occur, Johnson said.

"I applaud the diligent and thorough efforts of our initial responding deputies and investigators," Johnson said. "Their efforts were responsible for resolving this case in a timely manner.

"Although we are thankful that a rape did not occur, we do encourage our community to always exercise situational awareness and remain vigilant. As we have witnessed, our community has and continues to grow and change. We must remain alert in order to protect ourselves and our families."