DALTON, Ga. — A Whitfield County firefighter charged with five counts of child molestation and four counts of sexual battery of a child under the age of 16 is out of jail on a $150,000 bond.

William Taylor White’s attorney, Marcus Morris, asked Superior Court Judge William Boyett for an aggregate bond on all of the charges of $25,000, arguing that White is not a flight risk and would be living with his father in Whitfield County.

“His father is a longtime businessman here in Dalton. He has no prior record and he is not a flight risk,” Morris said. “To my knowledge, he would be living with his father in the Westside area. We think he is a prime candidate for a bond and ask the court to set a bond in that amount this (Tuesday) morning.”

But Assistant District Attorney Keely Parker said White is a significant flight risk. 

Parker pointed out that White’s father — Steve White Sr. — is the founder and CEO of Challenger Industries, a synthetic turf manufacturing business on Hill Road. White Sr. owns property in North Carolina and the Bahamas, and other family members live in Jackson Hole, Wyo. In asking Boyett to deny bond for William White, Parker said the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office believes there are more victims in addition to the three who were identified by the sheriff’s office as being 10, 11 and 12 at the time of the molestations. Parker said investigations of White are also ongoing in Catoosa County and North Carolina. 

“Your honor, the state is opposed to bond,” Parker said. “The sheriff’s office is currently looking into two more victims so there may be two more warrants forthcoming. To the state’s knowledge, Mr. White does own a passport and he is also known by law enforcement to carry weapons. Your honor, we believe Mr. White is a danger to the community and is a risk to the victims — known and unknown. We also believe due to the families’ multiple homes and the things they have access to, that he is a flight risk. Your honor, for those reasons we would be opposed to bail.”

White is required to wear an ankle monitor and will only be allowed to leave the house to work at Challenger Industries. He is not allowed to leave Georgia, must surrender his passport, can have no contact with any of the reported victims or their families, and can have no contact with anyone under 18. 

The Whitfield County Fire Department placed White on leave without pay.