Canton Man Arrested in Sexual Abuse Case

By Rebecca Johnston and Shaddi Abusaid
The Ledger-News
March 2, 2016

http://www.ledgernews.com/news/canton-man-arrested-in-sexual-abuse-case/article_6ce59660-e003-11e5-9d3a-e34d910ba85f.html

Charles Randy May

A former volunteer leader at a Woodstock church was arrested Friday on charges of sexually assaulting and exploiting a disabled person he was acquainted with, information obtained from the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office shows.

Charles Randy May, 60, of Canton was charged with one count of exploitation and intimidation of a disabled person, one count of aggravated sexual assault, one count of aggravated sodomy and one count of sexual battery, jail records reveal.

May is being held without bond at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.

Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Jay Baker said May was arrested following an investigation that began in September 2015. The victim, he said, is a developmentally disabled adult. The name of the victim was not released.

“The suspect and victim are acquaintances,” Baker said. “The abuse, which occurred at different locations including his home in Canton, lasted for a period of approximately one year between 2014 and 2015.”

May was a voluntary leader within the children’s church on Sunday mornings at New Victoria Baptist Church in Woodstock, the church’s Senior Pastor John Harris confirmed Friday.

When Harris first became aware of the allegations, May was immediately removed from all duties and responsibilities at the church, the pastor said.

“No complaints were filed within the church, but came exterior from the church, from outside,” Harris said.

“At that point when the allegations first came, he was removed from all duties and responsibilities. As soon as I got the information, I met with him that day, and let him know that until the investigation cleared him he was considered on leave.”

Harris, who has been pastor of the church since 2012, said all volunteers within the children’s program have annual routine background checks, and there had been no indication from the checks on May of any issues.

“There is one done on every volunteer that has any contact with a child, we do a background check every year,” Harris said. “Up until that time [of the allegations] there had been no indication of any kind of criminal misconduct.”

Harris said he was not aware of any other complaints against May or of any other victims.

“No one else has come to us, and the sheriff’s office has not indicated there are any other victims,” the pastor said. “Our heart breaks at this situation for the victim and her family. “