Peach County Man Convicted for Years-Long Sexual Abuse of Ex-Girlfriend’s Daughter
PEACH COUNTY, Ga. – A Peach County jury has convicted 39-year-old Clinton Wayne Yarbrough of child molestation and aggravated child molestation following a trial that revealed a disturbing pattern of sexual abuse against a young girl over several years.
The jury delivered its guilty verdict on Monday, February 2, 2026, after hearing evidence presented by prosecutors from the Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office. The abuse began in August 2016, when the victim was just 11 years old, and continued until December 2019. During this period, Yarbrough lived in the same household as the victim, her siblings, and her mother in what should have been a safe family environment.
Prosecutors detailed how Yarbrough initially exploited the guise of “play fighting” to inappropriately touch the victim in her vaginal area. The abuse escalated over time, progressing to forcing the child to touch his genitals and ultimately to sexual intercourse by the time she was 14 years old.
Even after his relationship with the victim’s mother ended, Yarbrough continued to contact the victim via Snapchat. When she was 17, he sent messages apologizing and claiming he had never loved her mother but was “actually in love with” the victim — statements that prosecutors said highlighted the predatory nature of his actions.
The victim bravely preserved these messages along with other critical evidence, including a hair tie containing Yarbrough’s semen, and provided them to the Byron Police Department. This evidence played a key role in the investigation and prosecution.
“This brave young woman carried the weight of this abuse for years, and her courage in coming forward has ensured that her abuser will face the consequences of his heinous actions,” said District Attorney Anita Howard. “Yarbrough violated the trust of a family and targeted a vulnerable child in their own home. This verdict sends a clear message that we will prosecute child predators to the fullest extent of the law and fight for justice for every victim.”
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Taylor Wilson and Assistant District Attorney Hannah Frantz. The Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office praised the Byron Police Department for their thorough investigation and commended the victim for her extraordinary bravery throughout the process.
Yarbrough faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Friday, February 18, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.
