CANTON, Ga. — A 71-year-old Canton man will spend life in prison after a jury found him guilty of multiple felony offenses involving child sexual abuse.
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Harold William Duvall was sentenced Wednesday by a judge after being convicted Oct. 1 following a four-day jury trial, according to the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office.
The case began with a Woodstock Police Department investigation in June 2024, after a teenage boy disclosed that Duvall had forced him to engage in a sexual act when he was about 5 years old at a home in Woodstock.
During the investigation, detectives uncovered similar allegations involving other children who were related to or had close contact with Duvall. The alleged abuse dated back to 1981 and occurred in areas outside Cherokee County, prosecutors said.
The other victims identified during the investigation testified at trial, providing corroborating evidence. Prosecutors said the victims described patterns of abuse and statements by Duvall that remained consistent over the years.
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Duvall was convicted of multiple felony offenses, including aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation and first-degree cruelty to children.
At sentencing, prosecutors recommended life in prison. The defense asked the judge to sentence Duvall to 25 years in prison followed by life on probation, which prosecutors say was the minimum sentence required under Georgia law.
The judge sided with the state and sentenced Duvall to life in prison.
“Harold Duvall has been molesting children for decades,” Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Hines said. She added that delayed disclosure does not diminish the truth and that prosecutors will continue pursuing justice for victims of child sexual abuse.
District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway said the sentence reinforces the county’s commitment to protecting children and holding offenders accountable, regardless of how much time has passed.
“The passage of time does not erase the harm and will not shield offenders from accountability in Cherokee County,” Treadaway said.
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