On April 19, 2023, Ryan Costley, of Newnan, Georgia, pled guilty to one count each of Aggravated Sodomy, Incest, and Child Molestation, as well as two counts of Aggravated Sexual Battery. Pursuant to an agreement with the State, Superior Court Judge John Simpson sentenced Mr. Costley to a life sentence, with the possibility of parole.
The investigation showed that on January 1, 2022, Costley and his mother were babysitting his nieces, aged 1 and 3, in Carrollton, Georgia. While his mother and the 1 year old were napping, Costley took the 3 year old into a guest bedroom and sexually violated her. The victim told her mother about these acts that night, and her mother confronted Costley about them. Costley admitted to the allegations and fled the scene. After he was arrested Costley made an admission to his mother on a recorded phone line and confessed to investigators with the Carrollton Police Department.
Senior ADA Nathan Stewart prosecuted this case, with the assistance of DA Investigator Shannon Bramblett. The case was investigated by the Carrollton Police Department Investigators Vonda Thomas
and Brandon Podaras.