An Austell man was convicted Wednesday on charges he molested a girl two years ago at another child’s birthday party.
Nicholas Scott Jannotte, 34, was found guilty on two counts of child molestation, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office said. He was sentenced by Superior Court Judge A. Gregory Poole as a recidivist to 40 years, 12 of which he will have to serve in prison without parole and the rest on probation. Once he’s released from prison, he will have to follow sex offender registry conditions.
According to prosecutors, Jannotte was in a backyard pool with the victim, who was 11 at the time, when he exposed himself and groped her in June 2017.
The child told her parents, who called police. Prosecutors say the child was able to provide a detailed account of the incident to Marietta-based SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center.
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“It was quite clear that this predator waited for his opportunity to take advantage of this child, and that he thought he could get away with it,” said Assistant District Attorney Ashton Murphy, who prosecuted the case with ADA Shep Orlow. “But this child was brave enough to come forward and face him. The community is safer because of her courage.”
Jannotte, who has prior convictions of burglary, aggravated stalking and criminal use of article with altered identification mark, was represented by Marietta attorney Charles Engelberger.
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