​Our Upson County Office was honored to provide Christmas for a mother and her children through Promise Place a domestic violence shelter and resource center. Hopefully, this family’s Christmas is a bit brighter.

​Joseph Phillip Kuprian was sentenced this morning by the Honorable Christopher C. Edwards to the maximum amount of time allowed by law.. Kuprian was convicted by a Spalding County jury in November of two counts of Aggravated Child Molestation, Incest, and five counts of Child Molestation. Kuprian was sentenced to Life in prison for Aggravated Child Molestation, and Life in prison on the second count of Aggravated Child Molestation, which will run consecutively to the other count of Aggravated Child Molestation. On the remaining counts, Kuprian was sentenced to 144 years in prison to serve consecutively to the life sentences and 5 years probation to run consecutively to the prison time.
 
Assistant District Attorneys Donna Gopaul and Kathryn Lenhard represented the State of Georgia during the week-long trial. Kuprian was convicted of sexually abusing his step-daughter. 

​Monday morning, Assistant District Attorney Michael Rogers picked three Pike County juries to resolve the remaining cases on the trial calendar in front of the Honorable Christopher Edwards. The first case ADA Rogers tried was the State of Georgia vs. Carl Schaneman. Schaneman was charged with multiple misdemeanor counts. Yesterday, the jury found Schaneman guilty of two counts of misdemeanor obstruction. Chief Judge Edwards sentenced the defendant to 12 months to serve in the Pike County Jail. After the verdict and sentence, the remaining two defendants waiting for trial entered guilty pleas.
 
District Attorney Coker said of the verdict, “thank you to ADA Rogers, my Pike County Office, and the Zebulon Police Department for their hard work this week. Thank you, also, to the police officers in Pike County and across this Circuit who work hard to keep our communities safe. These men and women suit up every day, despite the known dangers to them, just to protect us from those that seek to do us harm. My offices are honored to continue to fight alongside them and for them.”