19-year-old man found guilty on six counts of child sex crimes

CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. — A Carrollton man has been found guilty of multiple child sex charges.

On Wednesday, June 14, a Carroll County jury found Michael Jacob Brantley, 19, guilty of aggravated sexual battery, sexual battery against a child under the age of 16, and four counts of child molestation.

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office began its investigation on Brantley on October 26, 2021, after receiving a referral from the Division of Family & Children Services regarding allegations of child molestation.

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Investigators conducted interviews with an 11-year-old male and a 12-year-old female victim.

Both victims described how Brantley exposed himself to them, touched them inappropriately, and another allegation at his home in 2021.

A sergeant with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office also interviewed multiple people who disclosed Brantley had been disciplined in school due to inappropriate touching of girls and making inappropriate comments to students and teachers.

School personnel, members of Brantley’s family, and eventually Brantley himself were also interviewed.

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Search warrants were secured for Brantley’s school records, his home, and his cell phone.

“I am proud of the hard work conducted by our Criminal Investigations Division daily, and the passion they have to protect children within our community when something of this magnitude has happened to them. Sgt. Hope and her team did an excellent job of conducting a thorough investigation, gathering evidence, and securing a successful conviction in this case where Brantley will never be able to harm another child,” Sheriff Terry Langley said in a statement.

Brantley will be sentenced on July 24, 2023, and is facing a possible sentence of life in prison plus 88 years.

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