Thomasville Times Enterprise

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October 29, 2009

Child molester gets life, twice

THOMASVILLE — A man with a medical condition that is costing Thomas County government more than $12,000 a month was convicted of child molestation Thursday.

Bruce Wayne Parker was convicted in Thomas County Superior Court of aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy and child molestation.

Judge James E. “Jim” Hardy sentenced Parker to a life term on the aggravated child molestation conviction, a consecutive life term on aggravated sodomy and a consecutive 20 years in prison on child molestation.

The defendant, 32, was acquitted of a second count of aggravated child molestation and another count of aggravated sodomy.

The jury, which was chosen Monday, deliberated two hours Thursday afternoon before delivering the verdicts. The trial began Tuesday.

The victim, 12 at the time of the offenses, testified, as did his parents, law enforcement investigators and two state crime lab forensic scientists.

Parker’s semen was found on carpeting in a room where the victim told investigators they could find the substance.

The defendant’s father was among those testifying for the defense.

Jim Prine, Thomasville-based Southern Judicial Circuit assistant district attorney, was the prosecuting attorney.

“The law enforcement officers in this investigation did an outstanding job in collecting facts and evidence presented at trial,” Prine said.

Prine said Bahan Rich, a Georgia Bureau of Investigator, Jason Carroll, a Thomas County Sheriff’s Office investigator, and sheriff’s office crime scene investigator Andy Forte were particularly instrumental in the conviction.

“Thomas County is very fortunate to have such quality law enforcement,” Prine added.

Parker, who is on dialysis, has been in jail since June. He was denied bond.

Thomas County Sheriff Carlton Powell said in June that Parker’s medical condition cost taxpayers $12,000 to $13,000 monthly. Powell said law enforcement was reluctant to release Parker on bond “when you have this type of charge.”

The victim, who lives in Florida, said Parker molested him at a Thomas County residence.

A search warrant was executed at Parker’s residence. Crime-scene technicians found semen the child said would be present.

Parker confessed to molesting the boy, an investigator said in June.

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