A Columbia County man pleaded guilty to child molestation charges Thursday, May 26.
Matthew Mays, 41, accepted a plea agreement in Columbia County Superior Court. He pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated child molestation and two counts of child molestation in exchange for a sentence of 25 years in prison followed by probation supervision for the rest of his life.
Assistant District Attorney Natalie Paine said Mays molested a 14-year-old in 2014 and used him to lure two more victims. The plea agreement spares the victims from having to testify in front of a jury, though they were willing to do so, she said.
Mays, who was arrested in November 2018, had no prior criminal record.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.