Canton Man Sentenced To 30 Years For Child Molestation

CANTON, GA — A Canton man has been sentenced for child molestation.

A Cherokee County jury found Nathaniel Merritt Carter, 37, of Canton, guilty of child molestation.

The charges stem from incidents that occurred in 2016 and 2017, when Carter had indecent contact with a child, who was 9-years-old when it started. On one occasion, he attempted to entice the child’s friend. After investigating the allegations, Cherokee Sheriff’s Office arrested Carter on Feb. 28, 2017.

“This defendant convinced a little girl to keep a secret. That secret was nothing more than a cover for his sick behavior,” said Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Holly Varner, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the state. “His perverted actions stole the innocence of a girl and her friend.”

A Cherokee County jury found Carter guilty on Nov. 1. Senior Judge Frank C. Mills III sentenced the defendant to 30 years, with the first 15 years to be served in prison.

Upon release, Carter will be required to register as a sex offender. He will serve the remainder of his sentence on probation with sex offender special conditions including no contact of any kind with minors under the age of 18. He is also prohibited from contact with the victim or any member of her family.

“Fortunately, this child’s mother reacted as soon as her daughter disclosed something that set off red flags,” said Cherokee County District Attorney Shannon Wallace. “We hope that this sentence brings closure for these young victims and their families.”