upson man enters plea to possessing child pornography

On March 21, 2018, David Scott Batchelor entered a non-negotiated guilty plea in front of the Honorable W. Fletcher Sams in Upson County. The defendant was charged with 30 counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children. On Counts 1-29, Judge Sams sentenced the defendant to 20 years with the first 18 to be served in prison. On Count 29, the defendant was sentenced to 20 years probation to run consecutively to his prison sentence and on Count 30, the defendant received 20 years, consecutive probation. His total sentence was 60 years with the first 18 years to be served in prison. District Attorney Benjamin D. Coker prepared the case for trial.
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District Attorney Coker said of the plea and resulting sentence, “child pornography is not a victimless crime. Every time someone views or downloads these images, the children depicted are revictimized. This sentence sends a strong message that if you choose to engage in this kind of conduct, then the consequences will be severe. I would like to thank my staff, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Upson County Sheriff’s Office, and the witnesses in this case. If we all continue to work together as a team, we can get these predators off of the streets and keep our children safe.”