On Feb. 19, a Chattooga County jury delivered a life sentence recommendation for 46-year-old Ricky Lamar Blackmon after convicting him of raping and sexually abusing a minor family member. Blackmon was found guilty on seven felony counts, and Chief Superior Court Judge Brian House ordered him to serve life in prison, with the first 30 years to be served without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors said the abuse began when the victim was 12 and involved the taking of inappropriate photographs.
Conviction and evidence
The jury convicted Blackmon on seven charges, including rape, incest and child molestation, after a three-day trial, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. Prosecutors told jurors they had recovered text messages in which the victim directly confronted Blackmon, and he allegedly acknowledged the abuse. Investigators also testified that all data had been deleted from Blackmon’s cellphone three days before he turned it over to law enforcement, and the state described photographs taken during the abuse as part of its case.
Sentence entered in county court
Chief Superior Court Judge Brian House imposed the life sentence after jurors returned their guilty verdicts. Local booking logs and case records list Blackmon as processed in connection with the life term, per The Georgia Gazette.
Prosecutors praise victim's courage
Acting District Attorney Deanna Reisman praised the victim’s “extraordinary courage” in coming forward and stressed that crimes against children remain a top priority for the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. Assistant District Attorney David Wolfe led the prosecution and presented the cellphone and text message evidence at trial.
How this fits local prosecution patterns
The Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit has in recent years pursued and secured lengthy prison terms in child-sex cases, frequently leaning on phone and other digital evidence in high-profile trials. For example, a 2024 Catoosa County case ended with a life sentence for a defendant convicted on multiple child sex charges, per WDEF.
Prosecutors said Blackmon’s sentence is intended both to hold him fully accountable and to send a broader message about protecting children in the circuit. A press release from the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit served as the primary source for local reporting on the case, and court records will reflect any future filings or appeals.
