Houston County judge sentences former assistant principal to life in prison

Prosecutors said the abuse involved a minor family member and spanned nearly a decade.

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — A Houston County judge has sentenced a former Warner Robins assistant principal to life in prison plus 30 years after a jury convicted him on multiple child sex abuse charges.

According to a Houston County District Attorney’s Office news release, 44-year-old Joshua Lee Mason was found guilty Wednesday of aggravated child molestation, child molestation, incest and aggravated sodomy after a three-day trial in Superior Court.

Mason was sentenced immediately after the verdict. Prosecutors said Mason will also be required to register as a sex offender for life if he is ever granted parole.

Investigators said the charges stem from years of sexual abuse involving a minor child who was related to Mason. Prosecutors told jurors the abuse began when the child was eight years old and continued over a nine-year period, including multiple incidents that happened while the victim lived in Houston County.

The district attorney’s office said forensic testing confirmed Mason’s DNA on carpet taken from a residence connected to the investigation. That evidence, along with testimony presented at trial, was used by prosecutors to support the charges.

The case was investigated by the Houston County Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Investigations Division. Assistant District Attorneys Elizabeth McDaniel and Justin Duane prosecuted the case.

District Attorney Eric Edwards said the verdict and sentence ensure Mason will never have the opportunity to harm another child.

“This case represents one of the most serious breaches of trust our justice system is ever called upon to confront,” Edwards said in a statement. “Protecting children is among the most solemn responsibilities of this office, and today justice was served.”