Loganville man pleads guilty to child molestation and other charges

Defendant was a former, longtime member of law enforcement

WALTON COUNTY, GA (Aug. 20, 2025) – Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney Rand McGinley reported that, on Monday, Samuel “Ray” Ham, 59, entered a plea of guilty to three counts of aggravated sexual Battery, four counts of child molestation, and one count of grooming of a minor for a sexual offense.

Samuel “Ray” Ham

The plea hearing was attended by many supporters of the victim and victim impact statements were read in court so that the judge, as well as Ham himself could hear the impact of his
crimes.

Ham was sentenced to 20 years in prison without parole, followed by life on probation. His sentence was approved by the victim and the family as an appropriate outcome for the criminal case.

Ham was arrested April 13, 2025, shortly after a report was made to law enforcement and presented to the Walton County Grand Jury on June 27, 2025. He was subsequently arraigned on June 30. At the time of his arrest, Ham was reportedly serving as the division director for the Georgia Public safety Training Center which provides advanced and specialized training for certified law enforcement officers in Georgia. It has been reported that, according to his arrest warrant, Ham is accused of inappropriately touching a girl under the age of 16 in a sexual manner, with allegations that the abuse began when the victim was 12 years old and continued until she was 14.

“The hard work of law enforcement and the prosecution team led to the Defendant pleading guilty very early in the court process. I commend their dedication, but nothing is as inspiring as the strength the victim, the family, and the supporters have shown over the last four plus months,” McGinley said. “It cannot be ignored that the Defendant was a former, longtime law enforcement officer, including in high level positions. And those in law enforcement are in a position of trust in our communities, especially when it comes to protecting children. This Defendant betrayed that trust and betrayed all those that he has worked with over the years. But to be clear, this betrayal pales in comparison with how his actions betrayed those he directly harmed.”

The case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Cliff Howard, Victim Services Director Kim Kelly, Chief Investigator Josh Chambers, and Legal Assistant Heather Johnson. The arrest and investigation were handled by the GBI and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. The victim received services from A Child’s Voice Child Advocacy Center.