A news release that was not authorized by either the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office or the Clayton County Attorney’s Office, was circulated recently about a case involving David Allen Pennington, Jr., a criminal defendant who received a five-year prison sentence.
“We felt this news story was sensationalized and misleading and that it was important for us to respond,” Sheriff Mike Tschirgi and Attorney Alan Heavens said in a statement.
First, as the official press release from the county attorney’s office said, the defendant was convicted of enticing a minor under the age of 16, not sexual abuse as the unofficial press story stated. Ultimately, the crime involved sexual contact between the defendant and the victim, who were both carnival workers. This was illegal because the defendant was 27 years old and the victim was 14.
The unofficial news release also appeared to emphasize that the incident occurred at the Clayton County Fair.