CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — A Cherokee County man has been convicted and sentenced for sexual exploitation of children. He will now have to serve several years in prison, the state prosecutor said.
Jonathan Ellis, of Canton, was convicted by a Cherokee County jury on Dec. 6, 2021, according to District Attorney Shannon Wallace. The 39-year-old was later sentenced by Senior Judge Frank C. Mills, III on Jan. 24.
“Innocent children in sexually explicit media are revictimized every single time the images and video are shared by people like Mr. Ellis – a truly heartbreaking fact,” Assistant District Attorney Meaghan Frankish, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the state, said in a press release. “The evidence in this case clearly showed this defendant has a sexual interest in children and needs to be closely monitored.”
Ellis will serve a 20 year sentence. The first four years are to be served in prison, while the balance is to be served on probation under sex offender special conditions, including not contacting any minors under the age of 18.
“This trial involved a tremendous amount of digital data terminology and sensitive matters. The jury carefully sifted through testimony and evidence to convict this defendant,” District Attorney Shannon Wallace said in a press release. “It is essential that sick individuals like this defendant be prosecuted and sentenced to ensure the protection of our children, in Cherokee County and beyond.”
Ellis' conviction follows charges related to a 2016 investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, according to Frankish. Deputies conducted a search warrant at Ellis' home, discovering evidence that the Canton man had downloaded sexually explicit media files of children.
