JESUP, Ga. — A plea agreement in Wayne County has ended the prosecution of a Jesup man who was originally accused of several sex crimes involving a teenage girl.
Joshua Graham pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree cruelty to children.
As part of the negotiated agreement, prosecutors dismissed the original charges of statutory rape, child molestation and aggravated stalking.
According to Wayne County court records, the case involved the then-16-year-old daughter of Graham’s girlfriend.
The court record states that the sexual encounter caused the teenager physical and emotional pain and resulted in a pregnancy and miscarriage.
The aggravated-stalking charge stemmed from allegations that Graham contacted the teenager’s mother from jail despite restrictions against doing so.
Graham’s sentence includes 180 days in jail, 15 years of probation, a $2,500 fine and 100 hours of community service.
He must also maintain lawful employment approved by his probation officer.
Although Graham will not be required to register as a sex offender, he must comply with a sex-offender contract and special probation conditions.
Those requirements include completing psychological and sex-offender evaluations, participating in treatment and having no contact with anyone younger than 18.
He is also prohibited from visiting schools, child-care facilities or other locations where minors commonly gather.
Graham cannot work or volunteer in a position involving children and may not contact the victim, her mother or their relatives.
The court order banishes Graham from Wayne County for the duration of his probation.
If Graham completes the first five years without a probation violation and pays the required fine, the court may terminate the remaining 10 years of probation.
The victim’s mother criticized the agreement, saying that she believed the punishment failed to provide justice for her daughter.
The district attorney’s office and Graham’s defense attorney had not responded to requests for comment when its report was published Sept. 2.
Yolonda Harris
News Now Georgia
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