A Cherokee County jury has convicted 64-year-old John David Elrod on all 18 charges related to the sexual abuse of a child, the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office announced. The verdict, reached on September 3, followed a four-day trial.
Elrod was found guilty of two counts of rape, six counts of aggravated child molestation, eight counts of child molestation, and two counts of first-degree cruelty to children. According to the District Attorney’s Office, the crimes took place between 2015 and 2018 at two separate residences in Cherokee County. The abuse reportedly began when the victim was six years old.
The investigation was launched by the Canton Police Department in August 2018 after the victim’s mother reported the abuse. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence from six witnesses, including the victim, family members, a medical expert, and child advocacy specialists. Elrod testified in his own defense before the jury returned the guilty verdict after less than an hour of deliberation.
Assistant District Attorney Meaghan Frankish of the Special Victims Unit prosecuted the case. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
Follow-up Questions
What is confirmed in this story?
Cherokee County man convicted on 18 counts of child abuse A 64-year-old man was found guilty of 18 charges, including rape and child molestation, for crimes committed against a child starting when she was six.
What should readers watch next?
Elrod was found guilty of two counts of rape, six counts of aggravated child molestation, eight counts of child molestation, and two counts of first-degree cruelty to children.
What remains unclear: The available reporting does not yet fully settle the next step in the story.
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A 64-year-old man was found guilty of 18 charges, including rape and child molestation, for crimes committed against a child starting when she was six.
