William Taylor White

DALTON, Ga. — A former Whitfield County firefighter who pleaded guilty to three counts of child molestation was sentenced to five years in prison on Tuesday.

William Taylor White, 35, of Chatsworth, must serve 15 years on probation upon his release from prison, according to the sentence handed down by Superior Court Judge Jim Wilbanks as part of a plea deal. 

White pleaded guilty in September to three counts of child molestation after being charged in February of 2017 with five counts of child molestation and four counts of sexual battery of a child under the age of 16. 

On each of the charges White pleaded to, Wilbanks sentenced him to 20 years, with five to serve in prison, running concurrently. White must also pay a $2,000 fine and court costs and surcharges. He must perform 300 hours of community service, submit to random alcohol and drug screens while on probation, and abide by special conditions for sex offenders. 

District Attorney Bert Poston said the sentencing was part of a negotiated plea deal. Assistant District Attorney Keely Parker represented the state. 

The Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation after the grandmother of a female juvenile brought the child to the sheriff’s office and reported she had been molested. During the investigation, investigators identified two more victims who had been molested by the same suspect. One of the victims did not know the other victims and had not had any contact with the other victims. The three children — ages 10, 11 and 12 at the time of the incidents — all had similar stories of being molested by the suspect. The molestations began in 2012. The last known incident was in 2015, according to a sheriff’s office statement at the time of White’s arrest.

White was placed on unpaid leave from the fire department at the time of his arrest and resigned in August of 2017. 

White’s attorney, Bryan Hoss of Chattanooga, Tenn., did not immediately respond to a message left at his office on Wednesday.