On August 11, 2023, a Carroll County jury returned a verdict of guilty against Charles Brian Shoemake, 42, of Roopville, Georgia, for Aggravated Child Molestation, Aggravated Sexual Battery, Incest, Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes, two counts of Child Molestation, and four counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children.
Chief Superior Court Judge John Simpson presided over the trial and will sentence the defendant on a later date, still to be determined. According to Georgia law, the Defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole followed by life on probation and registration as a sex offender.
Assistant District Attorney Wade Mason and DA Investigator Katia Detwiler prosecuted the case. Sgt. Kimberly Hope of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation. Shoemake was arrested on September 23, 2022, and remained in jail until this trial.
The evidence presented at trial showed that in February and March of 2022, Charles Shoemake molested the victim, 13, on more than one occasion. In May 2022, the victim disclosed the abuse to two female relatives, who reported it to the Haralson County Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS).
The victim then was taken to the Carroll County Child Advocacy Center (CAC) to be forensically interviewed after which law enforcement determined that the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office had jurisdiction of the crimes.
The victim disclosed that the Defendant touched her inappropriately, had her touch him inappropriately, and committed multiple acts of child molestation to include, showing her pornography on his cell phone.
The victim was able to describe some of the images she was shown and some of the search terms used. Inv. Hope obtained a search warrant for the Defendant’s residence and vehicle where she located and seized multiple cell phones and other electronic devices. The contents of the Defendant’s cell phones contained over 100 images of child pornography and a search term history consistent with the statement the victim had previously provided authorities.
Regardless of the rest of the evidence presented, justice was done in this case because the victim, now 15, had the courage to face her abuser and testify in court about what he did to her. As in most sex-crimes cases, the victim was the only witness to the crimes she endured. The District Attorney’s Office and Sheriff’s Office have immense respect for her resilience and bravery.
As with many cases before it, this case serves as example of the dedication and teamwork of multiple organizations to ensure children are protected and to ensure that those who harm children can be brought to justice according to the law. The District Attorney’s Office thanks DFACS, the Carroll County CAC, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and those who participated in the criminal justice process for seeing that justice was done for this victim and our community.
