A Peachtree City man was convicted

yesterday of various charges for molesting his then-stepdaughter several

years ago.

Charles Joseph Louis, 50, was

sentenced to 50 years in prison by Superior Court Judge Johnnie L. Caldwell

Jr. A jury convicted Louis of two counts of aggravated child molestation,

one count of child molestation, one count of aggravated sexual battery

and one count of enticing a child for indecent purposes. He was found

not guilty on a second count of aggravated sexual battery.

The victim, a 13-year-old girl,

testified in court Monday that Louis threatened to kill her and her family

if she ever told anyone that he molested her.

The girl said Louis first molested

her at their Peachtree City home and later at their home in Brooks.

Louis testified briefly Tuesday

morning, denying that he ever molested his former stepdaughter.

The incidents occurred between

Nov. 1, 1999, and Mar. 31, 2001, according to court documents.

Louis's defense attorney, John

Beall, told the jury in opening statements that there was no physical

evidence in the case and the prosecution depended on the credibility of

the witnesses.

Two of Louis's nieces testified

during the trial that he molested them during a visit to his former home

in Carrollton. Louis also denied those allegations.

Investigator Renee McCollum

of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department testified that the victim used

anatomically correct dolls to show what Louis had done to her. McCollum

said the victim told her that Louis once got her away from other children

playing outside the house by telling her to come inside to take her medicine.

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