Peach County man who claimed he was ‘in love with’ a minor convicted of molestation
A man charged with sexually abusing a teen girl for three years was convicted of child molestation in Peach County, the Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office said in a news release Tuesday.
Peach County jurors found Clinton Wayne Yarborough, 39, guilty of child molestation and aggravated child molestation on Monday after they heard evidence during the trial in which the girl “ endured years of sexual abuse at the hands of a man who exploited his position of trust in her home,” prosecutors said in the news release.
Yarborough lived with the victim and her family from August 2016 to December 2019. He started abusing the girl when she was 11 years old, and escalated the abuse to sexual intercourse when she was 14.
Despite moving away from the victim’s family, “Yarborough continued to contact the victim through Snapchat,” prosecutors said.
“Yarborough sent messages ... claiming he ... was ‘actually in love with’ the victim,” according to prosecutors in the news release. “This statement underscored the predatory nature of his actions.”
Because the victim preserved the messages and other evidence of abuse, she “ensured that her abuser will face the consequences of his heinous actions,” District Attorney Anita Howard said.
“This verdict sends a clear message that we will prosecute child predators to the fullest extent of the law and fight for justice for every victim,” Howard said.
Yarborough faces a life sentence. His sentencing is scheduled for Friday afternoon.
