Douglasville man sentenced to life for sexually assaulting infant, DA says
Jesse James Hawkins, 22, was sentenced to life in prison with the first 25 years behind bars after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 10-month-old infant in Paulding County. (Credit: Paulding County Sheriff's Office)
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - A 22-year-old Douglasville man has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 10-month-old infant, prosecutors said.
What we know:
Jesse James Hawkins pleaded guilty on Oct. 23 to aggravated sexual battery, aggravated battery, and first and second-degree cruelty to children.
The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation in March 2025 after the 10-month-old girl was taken to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta by her mother for emergency medical treatment, the district attorney's office said.
Investigators determined that Hawkins, who was the mother's boyfriend, sexually assaulted the baby with an unknown object, prosecutors added.
A Paulding County Superior Court judge accepted a negotiated plea agreement, sentencing Hawkins to life with the first 25 years to be served in state prison. Under Georgia law, Hawkins must serve every single day of the 25-year prison term, followed by mandatory sex offender supervision upon release.
District Attorney Robert S. Lane praised investigators and prosecutors for securing the sentence, emphasizing that while no punishment can undo the trauma inflicted on the child, Hawkins will remain behind bars for decades.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released the child's current medical condition.
Prosecutors have not indicated whether any additional charges were evaluated during the course of the investigation.
The Source: The information in this report was provided through an official news release from the Paulding Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.