The Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office said a Ball Ground man was convicted Thursday on sexual abuse charges.
Zachary Allan Maltman, 37, was found guilty of multiple sex crimes against a child in Cherokee County.
The Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office said Maltman was convicted of two counts of aggravated sexual battery, one count of aggravated child molestation, and three counts of child molestation.
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The charges against Maltman originated from an investigation by the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office that began in September 2022. The investigation was initiated after the victim’s mother reported the abuse.
During a forensic interview, the child said Maltman had been sexually abusing her for approximately a year.
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Maltman was known to the child and had frequent contact with her, according to the DA’s office.
The DA’s office said during the trial, six witnesses testified for the State, including the child victim, her mother, law enforcement officers and experts in sexual assault nursing exams and forensic interviewing.
The State presented evidence during the trial that included text messages between Maltman and a family member where he made admissions that supported the prosecution’s case.
The jury deliberated for an hour and a half before returning a guilty verdict on all charges against Maltman.
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