William Prather, 64, will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars after a Paulding County jury convicted the Dallas man on multiple child sex charges involving a 12-year-old victim, officials said. On Tuesday, in Paulding County Superior Court, Superior Court Senior Judge Ralph Van Pelt sentenced Prather to life plus 55 years following what prosecutors described as a four-day trial and a full day of jury deliberations.
A jury found Prather guilty in January on seven counts, including aggravated sexual battery, two counts of child molestation, false imprisonment and three counts of sexual exploitation of children, as reported by WSB‑TV. Van Pelt then imposed the life plus 55-year sentence on Tuesday, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Trial and investigation
The Paulding County Sheriff's Office Crimes Against Children Unit opened the investigation in May 2023 after the victim's guardian reported the assault, as detailed by FOX 5 Atlanta. Prosecutors say the victim, who was 12 at the time of the assault, took the stand during trial and testified about the abuse.
In a statement to the outlet, District Attorney Robert S. Lane said his office is "committed to protecting children and holding predators accountable," framing the case as part of a broader push to come down hard on offenders who target minors.
Paulding prosecutors push stiff penalties
Prather’s punishment is one of several lengthy sentences secured by Paulding County prosecutors this year. In January, another Dallas man was ordered to serve life plus 80 years after convictions for rape, aggravated child molestation and gang offenses, as reported by WSB‑TV. Prosecutors say these aggressive outcomes are aimed at restoring community trust and keeping dangerous offenders off the streets.
What the law allows
Under Georgia law, aggravated sexual battery can be punished by life imprisonment or by a split sentence with a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison followed by probation for life, per O.C.G.A. § 16-6-22.2, according to Justia. Sexual exploitation of children falls under O.C.G.A. § 16-12-100 and carries felony penalties that can include years behind bars and heavy fines, depending on the number of counts and the circumstances, according to Justia.
Those statutes, combined with Georgia’s sex offender registration rules, formed the sentencing framework prosecutors cited in arguing for a severe outcome in the Prather case.
