Murray County Man Sentenced to Twenty Five Years For Child Molestation

Randal Harris was convicted and sentenced this past week for the molestation of two underage girls. Harris, a 65 year old from Murray County, was convicted of the following offenses:

• Sexual Battery in Georgia
• Aggravated Child Molestation in Georgia
• Incest in Georgia
• Influencing a Witness in Georgia

Overall, Harris has been sentenced to twenty-five years in prison without the possibility of parole.

Incest in Georgia

The Georgia Code defines incest in Georgia as:

A person commits the offense of incest when such person engages in sexual intercourse or sodomy, with a person whom he or she knows he or she is related to either by blood or by marriage as follows:

• Father and child or stepchild
• Mother and child or stepchild;
• Siblings of the whole blood or of the half blood;
• Grandparent and grandchild of the whole blood or of the half blood;
• Aunt and niece or nephew of the whole blood or of the half blood; or
• Uncle and niece or nephew of the whole blood or of the half blood. O.C.G.A. §16-6-22.

Incest is classified as a felony offense in Georgia. This means that the minimum penalty is ten years in prison, and the maximum penalty is thirty years in prison.

However, there are situations that can escalate the penalty. One situation includes that if the victim was under 14 years old, then the minimum penalty becomes twenty-five years, and the maximum becomes fifty years.

Practice Note

Incest, along with all other sex crimes in Georgia, carry heavy stigmas. There are scenarios in which there is a wrongful accusation or arrest.

Most sex crimes convictions include the penalty of sex offender registration.

If you or a loved one has been arrested, contact our offices today. A Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney can help you with your case.