A former Peachtree City man was convicted of aggravated child molestation and incest on Dec. 15, and sentenced to life in prison.
Thomas Zerbarini, 48, of Atlanta and previously a resident of Peachtree City, was convicted last week of aggravated child molestation, two counts of child molestation, incest and enticing a child for indecent purposes.
District Attorney Ben Coker said Zerbarini was sentenced by Fayette Superior Court Judge Robert “Mack” Crawford to life in prison with 35 years to be served consecutively to that life sentence.
Zerbarini was initially arrested by Peachtree City police in October 2014. Then a resident of Plantain Terrace, Zerbarini was charged with aggravated child molestation in connection to incidents involving a young female during early 2013 to mid-2014. According to the arrest stories at the time, Zerbarini was initially charged with aggravated child molestation stemming from offenses against a 4-year-old Fayette County female that took place during early 2013 to mid-2014. The second child molestation charge at the time involved a 10-year-old girl from Peachtree City. Jail records indicate the offense occurred in January 2013.
Assistant District Attorney Dan Hiatt, with the Fayette County District Attorney’s Office, was the lead attorney on the case. Deputy Chief District Attorney Warren Sellers assisted Hiatt in the presentation of evidence. Detective Andy Ward with the Peachtree City Police Department was the lead investigator on the case. Multiple victims testified at trial, Coker said.
Commenting on the verdict, Coker said, “I could not be more pleased with my office and the teamwork that they displayed during this trial. The victims of the defendant have been waiting for years for justice, and I hope that they will have some closure due to this verdict and sentencing.
“It is the position of my office that Mr. Zerbarini is a predator who deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison. My office worked extremely hard to make sure that he never harms another child. I am so proud of Dan, Warren, the witnesses, victims, and law enforcement officers that worked on this case. I know the tireless effort that you put into this conviction. I would also like to say thank you to the jurors. This trial lasted a full two weeks. Their service is to be commended. To the citizens of Fayette County, please know that we will continue to work extremely hard to keep you and your children safe.”
