Waleska man must serve 20 years in prison for violently assaulting girlfriend
Bradley Scott McDaniel
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - A 36-year-old Waleska man has been sentenced to 30 years plus an additional 60 months after a Cherokee County jury found him guilty of family violence, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, family violence battery (3 counts), cruelty to children in the third degree (2 counts), and simple battery, according to a press release from District Attorney Susan K. Treadawy.
On the evening on Feb. 13, 2023, Bradly Scott McDaniel became angry and physically abusive, strangling his girlfriend to the point where she was unable to breathe. She tried to escape, but he grabbed her and forced her back into a camper on his property. She broke free a second time and this time was able to run away to find someone to help her.
The victim told law enforcement that McDaniel grabbed her by the neck with both his hands and applied pressure. She said she thought she was going to lose consciousness. She said that McDaniel also held her against her will. An infant child was present during the incident. When deputies went to McDaniel’s residence to investigate, he had fled the property. He remained on the run for nearly a week and was apprehended on Feb. 19, 2023.
While in the Cherokee County adult detention center awaiting trial, McDaniel was charged with two counts of influencing a witness, for offering bribes to the victim to try to convince her to change her testimony. He also pled guilty to those charges at the sentencing hearing on Jan. 19.
During the hearing, the State presented evidence that McDaniel is a recidivist offender with at least five prior felony convictions. The State recommended a sentence of 30 years with the first 20 years to be served in custody. At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Wallace sentenced McDaniel to 30 years plus an additional 60 months, with the first 20 years to be served in custody. As a recidivist offender, he must serve all 20 years in prison. He is also forbidden to have any contact with the victim.
"Throughout this relationship, the defendant used manipulation and control, coercion, threats, and physical violence to get his way. Then, when 911 was called, he ran away from law enforcement. After he was arrested, he tried to bribe his ex-girlfriend to change her testimony. He refused to be accountable for his own actions," said District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway. "The young woman in this case is a true survivor, a strong woman who rose above this horrific incident to break free from the clutches of abuse."
The case was investigated by the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe, of the Domestic Violence Unit, Office of the District Attorney, Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit.
If you or someone you know is impacted by domestic violence, please contact the Cherokee Family Violence Center, CFVC.org, 770-479-1703 (24/7 crisis hotline). In case of an emergency, call 911.