30-YEAR SENTENCE FOR MAN WHO “PIMPED” 14-YEAR OLD GIRL

State vs. Kenton Ballard

Atlanta- Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. announces the conviction by guilty plea of 32-year old Kenton Ballard of Atlanta. Ballard was convicted Thursday morning of several charges including Statutory Rape, Aggravated Child Molestation, Aggravated Assault, Pimping, Pandering and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He was immediately sentenced to 30-years in prison.

Ballard’s case dates back to 2005 when he met a 14-year old runaway girl on Metropolitan Avenue in Atlanta. The teen moved in with him and he immediately began having sex with her. Within a month of meeting the victim, he began to beat and pistol-whip her on a consistent basis and eventually began to prostitute her. At times, Ballard would send the teen out to Metropolitan Avenue to solicit men, other times he brought “clients” to their home. In 2006, the victim’s mother, who had previously reported her daughter as a runaway, spotted the teen walking down the street. She called police who responded immediately and questioned the victim about her eight month ordeal. Ballard was arrested a short time later. Prosecutors began their case against the defendant this week. He decided to plea prior to the start of testimony this morning.

Superior Court Judge Christopher Brasher presided over the case. It was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Dalia Racine of the Crimes Against Women and Children Unit with assistance from ADA Kenya Johnson and Investigator Antonio Long of the Fulton County District Attorney’s Investigations Unit. Detective J. Siwemuke of the Atlanta Police Department led the initial investigation.

Media Contact: Yvette Brown, 404-224-0560/404-392-8867, yvette.brown@fultoncountyga.gov