COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A former Marietta school teacher was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to child sex abuse charges, according to a release from the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office.
It was announced Friday that Freddie Early pleaded guilty to two counts of child molestation earlier this week.
The 50-year-old pleaded guilty in connection to a child sex abuse case stemming from two years ago. On Jan. 11, 2021, a child told one of his middle school teachers that he and his younger brother had been abused by a family friend between October and December of 2020.
That family friend was later identified as Early.
Detectives learned that Early had groomed the two children while working as a school teacher aid at Dunleith Elementary school in Marietta. He was also a music minister at Reset Church in Morrow.
Early, who also attended the children’s church “from time to time,” bought gifts for the children. He also took them to dinners and let them hang out at his house, the release said.
The abuse began when he walked around his home “with his private parts exposed,” making sexual comments to the two young boys.
One of the brothers even recorded a time when Early "[made] sexually explicit comments to them,” the release said.
Once investigators learned about Early's behavior, he was arrested. Following the arrest, he surrendered his teaching license, the release said.
Superior Court Judge Ann B. Harris spoke after the two victims spoke of the abuse at a plea hearing.
“You’re a groomer and molester," Harris said. "You preyed on the trust of two motherless teenage boys who needed someone. You victimized them then and again today. This is shameful conduct. I can’t fix what happened, but I can make sure there are no more victims.”
Once Early is released from prison, he will serve 10 years on probation, the release said.
If you or someone you know has been affected by child abuse or child sexual assault, call SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center for assistance at 770-801-3465 or the Cobb County Police Department Special Victims Unit at 770-801-3470.
