Houston County man sentenced to 20 years in prison for child molestation

A 40-year-old man will serve 20 years in prison followed by 20 years on probation after pleading guilty to two counts of child molestation in Houston County Superior Court.

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — A 40-year-old man will serve 20 years in prison followed by 20 years on probation after pleading guilty to two counts of child molestation in Houston County Superior Court, according to a news release from the Houston County District Attorney’s Office.

Jacob Aaron Egli entered the guilty plea on Monday. As part of the sentence, Egli will be required to register as a sex offender for life and follow all sex offender probation conditions upon release, the release said.

The charges stem from multiple acts of sexually-natured contact against a child over a ten-month period beginning in 2022 while the child was living in Houston County. Authorities say Egli was related to the child by marriage.

According to the release, the child disclosed the abuse to a family member after moving to Walton County, Florida. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office began the investigation and later forwarded it to the Houston County Sheriff’s Office. Sgt. Gary Andrews of the Juvenile Division completed the investigation.

Assistant District Attorneys Justin Duane and Brandi Holland prosecuted the case.

“The child in this case is very brave,” Duane said. “It is so common in these types of cases that the child doesn’t tell anyone about the abuse right away. I’m glad she finally told someone about the terrible acts that were committed on her. I’m grateful that the defendant took responsibility for his actions and the child did not have to re-live the trauma. Thank you to Sgt. Andrews and all those who helped in this case.”

District Attorney William Kendall Edwards said what the child endured is “heartbreaking.”

“But her courage in speaking up is what ultimately brought this predator to justice,” Edwards said. “Thanks to her strength—and the collaborative efforts between the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and Sgt. Gary Andrews here in Houston County—we were able to hold this defendant accountable without the victim having to face a public trial.”