Man gets 60 years in prison for Cherokee child sex abuse
Charles Lowry Douglas. Courtesy of Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - A Ball Ground man will spend 60 years in prison after being convicted of 16 felony sex crimes involving four children, according to the Cherokee County District Attorney's Office.
What we know:
Charles Lowry Douglas, 58, was sentenced on Sept. 9 by Superior Court Judge Jennifer L. Davis to an 80-year sentence, with the first 60 years to be served in confinement.
Douglas was indicted in 2022 following a Cherokee Sheriff’s Office investigation into child sexual abuse allegations.
Investigators said multiple victims reported historical abuse that took place in Holly Springs and Ball Ground when they were as young as 6 and 7 years old.
The acts involved Douglas touching the children's breasts, buttocks and inner thighs.
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Authorities said all of the children were related to or known to Douglas.
On Aug. 24, a Cherokee County jury found Douglas guilty of nine counts of child molestation and seven counts of sexual battery.
What they're saying:
During the sentencing hearing, three victims and their parents shared impact statements detailing the fear, shame and trauma they experienced.
"This man has taken my dignity, my childhood, my safety, my purity, my innocence, and much more away from me until now," one child said in court. "Now I know that he has zero control, zero power, and I can be free."
Another victim spoke about reclaiming her voice after living with the consequences for years.
"I cannot get back the childhood that was taken from me, and I cannot erase the years I spent living with the consequences of what he did," she said. "But I can stand here today and speak for the little girl who was too scared to speak for herself. She deserved to be protected, she deserved to be believed, and she deserved to grow up feeling safe."
Assistant District Attorney Leyna Pope noted that Douglas showed no remorse and made calls from jail within an hour of his conviction asking victims to recant.
"This defendant is exactly the man these children described him as – manipulative, controlling, and a danger to society," Pope said.
Douglas is strictly forbidden from contacting the named victims and must comply with all special conditions required for sex offenders.
What we don't know:
While state prosecutors argued for 60 years of prison time, defense attorneys requested rehabilitation and leniency. Officials have not disclosed specific details regarding the defense's request.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway, who issued an official release detailing the case, as well as Assistant District Attorney Leyna Pope and court statements.