Middle Georgia Man Sentenced to Life in Prison

A man was sentenced to life this past week for the rape and molestation of his girlfriend's 10-year-old daughter in Meriwether.

The man was convicted on the following charges:

• Rape in Georgia
• Aggravated Child Molestation in Georgia
• Child Molestation in Georgia
• Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes in Georgia

An investigation began in September on the man when family noticed that the child was acting differently.

As a Georgia Sex Crimes Lawyer, I will show the difference between child molestation and the elevated version - aggravated child molestation in today's post.

The Difference Between Child Molestation and Aggravated Child Molestation

Child molestation in Georgia is defined in O.C.G.A. § 16-6-4 (a) as:

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

(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.

Aggravated Child Molestation in Georgia is defined in the same statute in part (c) as:

A person commits the offense of aggravated child molestation when such person commits an offense of child molestation which act physically injures the child or involves an act of sodomy.

A person convicted of the offense of aggravated child molestation shall be punished by imprisonment for life or by a split sentence that is a term of imprisonment for not less than 25 years and not exceeding life imprisonment.

Practice Note

Call our offices today if you have been arrested in the state of Georgia.