Former Georgia City Council Candidate Guilty of Child Molestation

Former City Council candidate, Edward Spencer was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He is eligible for parole after 18 years. Spencer pleaded guilty to molesting a 10-year-old girl with autism in Henry County.

In addition to his sentence, he must register as a sex offender, have no contact with the victim or her family and spend the remainder of his sentence on probation.

As a Georgia Sex Crimes Lawyer, I will outline the law behind child molestation in today's post to better explain what Spencer has been convicted of.

Child Molestation in Georgia

Georgia Law defines child molestation in Georgia in O.C.G.A. §16-6-4 as:

A person commits the offense of child molestation when the person either:

1. Does any immoral or indecent act to or in the presence of or with any child under the age of 16 years with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the person; or
2. By means of an electronic device, transmits images of a person engaging in, inducing, or otherwise participating in any immoral or indecent act to a child under the age of 16 years with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the person.

A person convicted of child molestation will be guilty of a felony. For a first child molestation conviction, the accused will face a sentence of five to twenty years in prison. In addition, the Department of Corrections will provide counseling to the defendant. 

For a subsequent conviction of child molestation, the punishment increases to a prison term between ten and thirty years or life in prison. Lastly, a conviction for child molestation comes with the requirement that the defendant register as a sex offender with the Georgia Sex Offender Registry. The designation of a person as a sex offender is not intended to be a punishment or a sentence but instead a regulatory mechanism resulting from the conviction of certain crimes.

Practice Note

Being accused of sex crimes in Georgia is a terrible experience. A sex crime conviction can result in serious, life-changing consequences.

In Georgia, certain sex crimes require you to register as a sex offender – possibly for life. Being on the sex offender registry can ruin job opportunities and severely limit the areas in which you are allowed to live.

If you or a loved one has been accused of a crime, contact a Georgia Sex Crimes Attorney now.