Former Bibb County teacher sentenced to 25 years of prison in child molestation case
A former Bibb County middle school teacher was sentenced to 25 years in prison and 25 years of probation for having an inappropriate relationship with a student, the Macon District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.
Charles B. Jackson, 55, pleaded guilty to child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes and sexual contact by a person in position of trust to the first degree, the district attorney’s offfice said. Jackson pleaded guilty March 25 in Bibb Superior Court.
Jackson was employed as a Junior Officers’ Training Corps instructor at Ballard-Hudson Middle school during the time of his inappropriate behavior with the juvenile victim.
He was named the school’s teacher of the year for the 2022-2023 academic school year, 13WMAZ reported.
Assistant District Attorney Breanna Foster of the Special Victims Unit presented facts during Jackson’s plea hearing and showed that his felonious conduct with the young victim occurred on multiple occasions at both the school and a local church, the office said.
Foster said the victim had previously been molested by a family member, and Jackson took advantage of the minor’s vulnerability while in a position of trust as her school teacher.
“It is so tragic when an individual who fought for his country and afterward goes into a position of trust for young people becomes the community’s worst nightmare rather than a mentor,” District Attorney Anita Howard said in a press release. “It is vitally important that anyone who has information about such nefarious activities come forward to report them so that we, collectively, put a stop to those who would do harm to our most vulnerable.”
Jackson was sentenced to 50 years, with the first 25 years served in prison and the last 25 years served on probation. He could be granted parole before the end of his 25-year prison sentence.
Bibb County deputies initially arrested Jackson in December 2022 after investigating a complaint that stated he enticed a child for indecent purposes and engaged in sexual contact with the student.
Jackson was charged with two counts of statutory rape and one count of aggravated child molestation at the time.
Jackson’s bond was denied several times since his arrest, according to the district attorney’s office.
He is currently in custody at the Jones County Jail, Bibb County Sheriff’s spokesperson Christopher Williams said.
Jackson will be required to be on Georgia’s Sex Offender Registry for the remainder of his life, the district attorney’s office said.
