Diary Leads To Child Molestation Arrest In Paulding

DALLAS, GA — A Paulding County man has been transported to North Dakota to face child molestation charges filed after authorities say his old diary recounting the crimes was discovered.

Timothy Sprenger, 31, is charged with one count of gross sexual imposition and one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child in North Dakota. He was transported there from Paulding County Jail last week.

In June, the sheriff's office says, Paulding County detective Sgt. Lenny Carr met with someone who showed him what appeared to be a diary written by Sprenger — who was living in Paulding County after moving from North Dakota.

The diary, which had been torn into pieces and taped back together, appeared to contain passages in which Sprenger documented multiple instances of child molestation against children from ages 6 months to two years old, the sheriff's office said. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app)

Investigators determined the incidents apparently happened years ago and were able to identify one of the alleged victims, now 12 years old, and locate the child's mother in North Dakota. They then notified the Minot Police Department in North Dakota.

Paulding Detective Krista Cousins identified and located the other alleged victim, also 12 years old now, who also lives in North Dakota. Carr then interviewed Sprenger and, according to the sheriff's office, Sprenger confessed to the crimes, as well as others not mentioned in the diary.

Investigators did not learn of any incidents that happened in Georgia, the sheriff's office said.

On Sept. 22, North Dakota issued criminal warrants for Sprenger's arrest. Paulding County deputies arrested him that day and, on Oct. 5, he was transported back to North Dakota.

He is currently being held on a $1 million bond in North Dakota.

Photo courtesy Paulding County Sheriff's Office