tanya.o’berry@gaflnews.com



The Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney faces a maximum sentence of life in prison after a new indictment handed up Tuesday added a charge and changed wording in two others.

Robert B. Ellis Jr. faces two felony counts of civil rights violations for alleged aggravated sexual abuse. The charges state Ellis used force to make a woman have sex with him, which is punishable by life imprisonment.

An additional count of making false statements said when questioned by a federal investigator, Ellis denied having sex with a woman who was facing charges or had faced charges in the Alapaha circuit. This count is punishable by five years in federal prison. A third count of civil rights violations is a misdemeanor, but the fifth count of witness tampering, which said Ellis told the woman not to talk with anyone investigating the case, is a felony.

Ellis waived his right for a second arraignment, and his trial is scheduled for June 7 in Valdosta, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s office said. He is represented by local attorney Converse Bright in conjunction with Atlanta attorneys Michael Bowers and J. Tom Morgan.

Ellis continues to serve as district attorney for the Alapaha Circuit, which consists of Atkinson, Berrien, Clinch, Cook and Lanier. The governor’s office, which decides if he can remain as district attorney while under federal indictment, has not acted in the matter.

A spokesperson for the Governor’s office said the process to select members for the Review commission is a serious matter, and it required time to select the two district attorneys who would join Georgia’s attorney general on the commission.

Ellis, who has served as district attorney since 1989, qualified for re-election and faces Democratic challenger Cathy Helms in July. The winner of that race faces Republican Charles J. “Jody” Steedley in November.