A Cherokee County jury this month convicted an Acworth Uber driver of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old passenger during a 2022 ride to a sleepover, capping a five-day trial in Cherokee County Superior Court and setting up a sentencing hearing for late summer.
The Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit announced that 44-year-old Jeremiah Nicholas Norwood was found guilty on May 15 on multiple charges, including two counts of trafficking persons for sexual servitude, aggravated child molestation, statutory rape and two counts of child molestation, according to WSB-TV. Norwood is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 13.
Charges Flagged In DA Calendar
Court listings from the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit show Norwood faced a sweeping indictment that included trafficking for sexual servitude, multiple child-molestation counts and pandering for a person under 18. The case was marked for a jury trial the week of May 11, according to the Office of the District Attorney.
Prosecutors' Account Of The Ride
Prosecutors told jurors the case began when the 15-year-old requested an Uber in the early morning hours of Feb. 5, 2022, to go to a friend's house in Canton for a sleepover. Norwood, who was driving for Uber at the time, provided the girl with drugs and later exchanged them for sexual acts, the DA's office said in court, according to WSB-TV.
During the five-day trial, the state introduced more than 70 pieces of evidence, including the child's recorded interview, Norwood's interview with law enforcement, phone records and photos of the vehicle. Jurors also heard from law enforcement officers, Georgia Bureau of Investigation forensic experts and a child sexual-abuse specialist before deliberating for about four and a half hours.
What The Conviction Means Under Georgia Law
Trafficking a person for sexual servitude is a felony under Georgia law. When the victim is under 18, the statute allows much harsher penalties, including prison terms that can range from 10 to 20 years up to 25 to 50 years or life in aggravated cases, as well as fines and forfeiture of property, according to Georgia Code § 16-5-46. With sentencing set for Aug. 13, prosecutors can ask the court to seek penalties that reflect those statutory enhancements.
