Rabun County man found guilty of child sex crimes

CLAYTON — A Rabun County man has been found guilty of child sex crimes after a day of jury deliberations.

Michael Douglas Abernathy, 42, was charged with two counts of Child Molestation and one count of Enticing a Child for Indecent Purpose.

According to the District Attorney’s Office of the Mountain Judicial Circuit Court, a criminal jury began on Monday, June 4 in the Rabun County Courthouse.

Assistant District Attorney Anthony Pickett and Cheif Assistant District Attorney Rick Bridgeman presented the case on behalf of the state. Joseph Silva, a former investigator with the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office, was the lead law enforcement in the investigation.

After evidence and other court proceedings were disclosed to the selected jurors, the jury began their deliberations on Wednesday, June 6.

A day later, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts — Judge B. Chan Caudell read the jury’s verdict in open court which pronounced the defendant guilty.

Abernathy will face sentencing on Tuesday, June 12 starting at 9 a.m.