Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Decatur Girl 29 Years Ago Sentenced

DECATUR, GA — A 59-year-old man recently pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl 29 years ago, DeKalb County Sherry Boston's office said.

According to a news release from Boston's office, Charlie Scott pleaded guilty Thursday to rape, kidnapping and aggravated assault in connection with the assault of the girl on Aug. 6, 1994.

The sexual assault happened at the Colony Ridge apartment complex near Glenwood Road, according to the release. The girl was heading home after helping her mother at work at the time.

An eyewitness helped the girl and called authorities, the release said.

"The case sat cold until March 2020 when DNA from the sexual assault kit that was collected at the time of the crime was tested through the work of the Georgia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (GASAKI) Task Force with assistance from the DeKalb County Police Department," the release said.

Scott, who had been arrested in April 2022, was identified as a suspect after a positive DNA match.

"Investigators also linked him to sexual assaults of several other victims in DeKalb County during the same time period," the release said.

He was on the run at the time of the Colony Ridge sexual assault and had been featured on an "America's Most Wanted" episode as a serial sexual assault suspect, the release said, adding he had "escaped custody several times across three states."

He was arrested in 1995 in California and was convicted of several counts of rape, escape from confinement, robbery, kidnapping and other charges in Alabama, Georgia and Texas, the release said. He was sentenced to serve 40 years but was released in 2020 after serving 28 years in prison, the release said.

Following his release from federal custody, he became a truck driver. It was during a weigh station stop in March 2021 in Missouri that the DeKalb County warrants against Scott were noticed, and Scott was taken into custody, the release said.

Scott was transferred to DeKalb County in April 2021 and was indicted on May 7, 2021, by a grand jury, the release said.

After his guilty plea Thursday, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Shondeana C. Morris sentenced Scott to serve 15 years in prison with the remainder of his life on probation.

"Upon his release from custody, Scott must comply with the special conditions of sex offender probation. Scott may not have any contact with minor children, or with any named victim or victim in a previous case," the release said.