Woodstock Man Sentenced After Repeatedly Assaulting Girlfriend

WOODSTOCK, GA — A Woodstock man was found guilty of family violence after he attacked his girlfriend multiple times, including throwing a notebook on fire at the woman.

On February 2, a Cherokee County jury convicted Raphael P. Fraga, 40, of Woodstock, of family violence aggravated assault, cruelty to children in the first degree, false imprisonment, and other charges. These charges stem from multiple incidents involving his girlfriend.

“In many cases of domestic violence, including this one, victims of abuse are silenced by their abusers. Intimidation, fear, and isolation make them afraid to escape the cycle of violence,” said Damion Overstreet, who co-prosecuted the case for the state. “We will remain steadfast in our commitment to giving victims of abuse a voice and holding abusers accountable.”

In less than a month’s time, law enforcement was called three times to Fraga’s residence.

On Dec. 18, 2020, Cherokee Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call stating that Fraga had made a suicide threat in his Woodstock home. After Fraga was taken to the hospital, his girlfriend told deputies that Fraga earlier lit a notebook on fire and threw it on her while she was lying in a bed, burning a hole in her pants. Afterwards, Fraga sent her angry text messages, then went into a closet with a belt around his neck and closed the door. His girlfriend also reported that he had previously threatened murder/suicide. A teenager living in the home saw this and called 911. After an investigation, Fraga was charged with aggravated assault under the Family Violence Act, cruelty to children in the first degree, cruelty to children in the third degree, and harassing communications.

Nine days later, on Dec. 27, 2020, Cherokee Sheriff's deputies returned. Fraga took his girlfriend’s phone while she was sleeping, grabbed her and pulled her downstairs. Without her phone, she couldn't call 911 or talk with her daughter, who was not home. The child returned home to check on her mother, and called 911. The phone was found hidden in the refrigerator. After an investigation, Fraga was arrested and charged with false imprisonment and criminal trespass. He was granted bond on Dec. 30, 2020, with special conditions ordered to have no direct or indirect contact with the victims named in the case.

On Jan. 14, 2021, Fraga posted bond then visited his girlfriend, violating the conditions of his bond. Within hours, 911 dispatch received another report of domestic violence at the same home. When Cherokee Sheriff’s Office and Woodstock Police Department responded, Fraga was hiding in the next door neighbor’s attic. He was arrested after a standoff.

Detectives determined that after becoming angry with his girlfriend, Fraga slapped her face and strangled her. After he was arrested, deputies found a video Fraga took which showed him threatening his girlfriend with a knife. The girlfriend said she was afraid if she tried to leave he would kill her. Fraga was charged with aggravated assault under the Family Violence Act, false imprisonment, family violence battery, and violating a family violence order.

“This man did everything he could to isolate his girlfriend from people who cared about her. She was completely under his power and control and felt she had nowhere to turn and no way to escape,” said Elliot Stone, who co-prosecuted the case for the state. “During one incident, he took a video of himself intimidating and threatening her as she sat on the floor, trapped. That video became a key piece of evidence in this case, providing the jury with a unique perspective of the abuse this victim endured at the hands of the defendant.”

On Feb. 9, Senior Judge Frank C. Mills, III sentenced Fraga to 40 years, with the first 15 years to be served in prison. When Fraga is released from prison, he is required to receive a mental health evaluation and treatment, complete a family violence intervention program, and have no contact with the victims, and other named individuals.

“This sentence ensures that the woman abused by this defendant has the opportunity to heal from the physical and emotional abuse she suffered. She is no longer trapped, no longer under his control, and no longer helpless. Her pleas for help have been answered,” District Attorney Shannon Wallace said. “And this cycle of violence has ended.”

If you or someone you know is impacted by domestic violence, contact the Cherokee Family Violence Center, CFVC.org, or the 24/7 crisis hotline at 770-479-1703.