Crawford County man gets 30-year sentence for child molestation

Dorris pleaded guilty to two counts of child molestation and will serve 10 years in prison followed by sex-offender supervision.

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A man who pleaded guilty to molesting a 5-year-old girl in Crawford County has been sentenced to a total of 30 years, with the first 10 to serve in prison.

According to the Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, 25-year-old James Dorris pleaded guilty to two counts of child molestation and was sentenced Friday, October 16.

According to the district attorney’s office, Dorris and his mother were visiting the girl’s family in March 2023 when he followed the child outside and committed a lewd act in front of her.

The girl’s father caught Dorris and removed him from the property. During a later interview, the child told investigators Dorris had done the same thing before, according to the release.

“A 5-year-old girl should be safe playing in her own yard, and this defendant took that from her,” District Attorney Anita Howard said. “Her father acted quickly to protect her, and she showed real courage in telling investigators what had happened to her.”

Howard said Dorris will serve the remainder of his sentence under sex-offender supervision after leaving prison.