A man accused of luring a child into his car and forcing her to engage in sexual activity has been convicted.
Donald Williams, 33, was convicted on Monday, Feb. 13.
Macon Judicial Circuit Attorney Anita R. Howard said that on Sept. 3, 2021, 33-year-old Donald Williams was driving his car when he approached a 14-year-old girl outside her school.
When Williams engaged with the 14-year-old, Howard said he claimed to be a pastor and offered to give her a ride home.
However, instead of taking her home, Williams drove to a dead-end road and assaulted her.
Soon after the sexual acts occurred, Howard said Williams drove to a balloon release to preach and offer a prayer for a family while the child remained in his car.
After several hours, he dropped her off near her home.
Howard said the child could give law enforcement multiple details of the events, locations where she was taken and descriptive information about Williams, including his business card with his picture.
Williams was a prior sex offender out of Houston County and was still on the sex offender registry but was no longer on probation at the time of the incident, according to Howard.
On Feb. 13, 2023, Williams pled guilty to child molestation, sexual battery on a child under 16 and statutory rape.
He was sentenced to 45 years, with at least the first 20 in prison.
“Individuals who hold themselves out as being in a position of trust with children and then betray that trust must and will be held accountable for their actions toward those most vulnerable in our communities,” Howard said.
