Charges changed to aggravated child molestation after court hearing

A Recorder’s Court judge changed three molestation charges against a Columbus man to aggravated child molestation after a detective testified the man had sex multiple times with a 12-year-old girl.

Michael King, 62, was charged with three counts of molestation after an Oct. 24 investigation into the improper touching of the child at a Benning Hills home. King, who was taken into custody on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to the three charges.

After testimony from police Detective Mark Scruggs of the Special Victims Unit indicated the man had sex with the girl, Judge Julius Hunter agreed to changed the lesser charges to more serious offenses of aggravated child molestation and ordered King held without bond in the Muscogee County Jail. “I’m going to amend to aggravated child molestation,” the judge said.

King’s public defender Owen Lynch opposed any change in the original charges during the hearing but his request was denied.

Scruggs said police were called to 2100 Comer Ave. at 2:20 p.m. Oct. 24 to talk with a case worker at the Department of Family and Children Services . The DFCS case worker said the 12-year-old identified a man known as her grandfather had been raping her.

The incidents are alleged to have occurred sometime between April and October. During an interview at the Children’s Tree House, the girl said the man improperly touched her. In October, she said contact with the man continued and he had sex with her multiple times, the detective testified.

Scruggs said he talked with King at the Public Safety Center where he said he was dating the girl’s cousin. He admitted to touching the girl but denied having sex with her.

This story was originally published November 16, 2017 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Charges changed to aggravated child molestation after court hearing."