Georgia father sentenced to life for raping, sodomizing, and molesting his biological daughter

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. (TCD) -- A 38-year-old father was recently found guilty and sentenced to life for raping and molesting his young biological daughter while her mother was at work.

According to a news release from Coweta County District Attorney John Herbert Cranford Jr., the investigation began in the summer of 2019 after the victim’s mother reported the abuse and contacted authorities. The child was reportedly interviewed and said she had been abused by her father.

Cranford said the child underwent a sexual assault examination, and the evidence was consistent with the victim’s statements. According to Cranford, the victim’s father, Richard Nelms, raped, orally sodomized, and molested his biological daughter from the age of 7 until she was 10 years old. The abuse reportedly started when the victim’s father was still married to her mother, and it resumed after the parents’ separation and divorce.

On July 11, 2019, Nelms was arrested and booked into the Coweta County Jail. On Oct. 20, the D.A.’s Office announced that Nelms was found guilty of incest, rape, child molestation, and aggravated child molestation. Cranford said Nelms was sentenced to 50 years in prison without the possibility of parole, followed by a consecutive life sentence.

The victim, who is now 14 years old, reportedly testified in court about the abuse she experienced. The D.A.’s Office said they were "in awe" of the victim’s courage.

MORE:

• Coweta County Jury Convicts Richard Keith Nelms of Incest, Rape, Aggravated Child Molestation, and Child Molestation - Coweta County District Attorney’s Office