Fort Payne man found guilty of child sex abuse charges
DEKALB COUNTY, Al. (WDEF) — A Dekalb County Jury found Gary Hart guilty of two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Child under 12 years of age.
After a weeklong trial, the jury returned guilty verdicts for both charges, Friday August 16, 2024.
The State of Alabama produced evidence that Hart sexually abused two victims under the age of 12 at the time.
Hart was convicted after an extensive investigation was conducted.
Many organizations were apart of the investigation, including the Fort Payne Police Department, the DeKalb County Department of Human Resources, the DeKalb County Children’s Advocacy Center, and the Jackson County Children’s Advocacy Center.
“Children who are vulnerable deserve to be loved and protected, not taken advantage of by those who should be caring for them. The victims in this case stood up for themselves and are the real heroes. Their testimony helped make sure that this predator can no longer harm other children. Please keep them, and their families, in your thoughts and prayers,” said District Attorney, Summer Summerford.
Hart is currently awaiting a sentencing hearing scheduled for a later date.
He’s currently being held at the DeKalb County Detention Center.
