Canton man sentenced to 25 years in prison for molesting 8-year-old boy
Xavier Matthew Jennings (Cherokee County Sheriffs Office).
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - A Canton man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison without parole for molesting an 8-year-old child.
In August, a Cherokee County jury found 22-year-old Xavier Matthew Jennings guilty of two counts of aggravated child molestation.
Officials say their investigation into Jennings began in June 2018 when an 8-year-old child told his grandparent about the abuse.
Jennings was 16 years old at the time of the abuse, but because of the severity of the crime, he was charged as an adult.
During the three-day trial, the victim, family members, and investigators testified.
"The victim was only a young child of 8 years when he came forward to disclose his abuse, and now, at the age of 14, again demonstrated great courage through his testimony to the jury," said District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway. "We are incredibly inspired by his bravery, and we hope for continued healing and closure."
The victim and his mother attended the sentencing hearing on Friday, where he read a statement describing Jennings' crime as "the worst thing to ever happen to me," but asked the court for leniency and expressed his hope that his abuser could become a better person.
"The person sitting in this courtroom today didn’t just violate my child’s body; he violated my child’s spirit. He stole my child’s sense of safety and peace. Words can’t fully express the depth of pain our family has suffered," the victim’s mother said. "I ask the court to give [my child] the justice he deserves."
While the punishment for the offenses in Georgia could be life in prison, the judge in the case sentenced him to the state minimum of 25 years due to his age at the time of the offenses.
Once released, Jennings will remain on probation for the rest of his life and be required to register as a sex offender.