Georgia man, wife face charges in child abuse, witness tampering case
David Scott Lawson (Jackson County Sheriff's Office)
JACKSON COUNTY, Ga. - A 56-year-old Watkinsville man is back behind bars this week after a 15-count indictment alleging he groomed young girls for the purpose of sexually abusing them. His wife also faces charges of intimidating witnesses, including those same girls.
What we know:
David Scott Lawson was indicted in June on three counts of aggravated sexual battery, sexual battery, cruelty to children in the first degree, three counts of cruelty to children in the second degree, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
Lawson was taken into custody Monday on those charges.
The backstory:
According to the grand jury indictment, the alleged abuse and witness intimidation occurred across multiple timeline periods spanning from March 2013 through August 2025.
Dig deeper:
Co-defendant Jill Suzanne Lawson faces witness tampering charges alongside her husband for allegedly intimidating two witnesses.
The indictment states that on or about June 20, 2022, both defendants knowingly used threats and intimidation against two of the young victims to prevent them from communicating with law enforcement.
What we don't know:
Court documents do not list defense attorneys for David Scott Lawson or Jill Suzanne Lawson.
It remains unknown when Jill Suzanne Lawson is scheduled to make her next court appearance.
What's next:
David Scott Lawson is scheduled to appear in court Thursday at 9 a.m. for an arraignment.
He also faces similar charges in Oconee County that were filed in February.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from court documents, which outlined the 15-count grand jury indictment and upcoming court dates.