Cherokee County

Cherokee man sentenced to life after ‘vile’ sexual assault of 4 child relatives, prosecutors say

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — A Cherokee County man will spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of molesting a child in his family.

Prosecutors with the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office, Santiago Jaimez, also known as Junior Jaimez, sexually assaulted a child relative in 2020.

Investigators say the child told her mother about the abuse in July 2020. After learning about the abuse, investigators found that three other relatives has made similar allegations against Jaimez.

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“Mr. Jaimez was never held accountable for the sexual abuse of three other children in his family in the past and, although many people close to him knew his history of victimizing children, he was still free to abuse the victim in this case,” said Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Katie Gropper.

Prosecutors say the jury took only an hour to deliberate and bring back a guilty verdict.

Jaimez was convicted of rape, incest, aggravated child molestation, criminal attempt to commit a felony, false imprisonment and child molestation.

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“The best opportunity we have to protect innocent children and prevent future victims it to shine a bright light on the reality of child abuse even when it might cause conflict in the family setting,” Gropper said.

Judge Jackson Harris sentenced Jaimez to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Judge Harris also called Jaimez “vile” and “unredeemable” during the sentencing hearing.

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