Former Cobb County church leader pleads guilty in Cherokee case involving grooming and sexual abuse of teen
Guilty plea and sentence in Cherokee County
A former metro Atlanta church leader has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after admitting in court to grooming and sexually abusing a teenage boy. Marcus Kendall Turner, 34, of Acworth, entered guilty pleas on Feb. 9, 2026, in Cherokee County Superior Court to 11 felony charges tied to crimes against a middle school-aged victim.
The court imposed a sentence of 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole, followed by lifetime probation. As part of the sentence, Turner must register as a sex offender, is barred from any contact with the victim and the victim’s family, and is prohibited from contact with anyone under 18.
What prosecutors said Turner admitted doing
Turner pleaded guilty to charges that included aggravated child molestation, child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes, obscene internet contact with a child, sexual exploitation of children, and first-degree cruelty to children. The case record describes a pattern that investigators characterized as grooming, including repeated communications and sexually explicit exchanges.
Investigators determined Turner exchanged 12,691 text messages with the victim over roughly five months. Authorities said the communications included sexual content that Turner solicited and shared, and that the abuse included repeated acts that occurred at Turner’s home in Cherokee County in August and September 2023.
Defendant: Marcus Kendall Turner, 34, of Acworth
Venue: Cherokee County Superior Court
Plea date: Feb. 9, 2026
Sentence: 25 years in prison without parole, followed by lifetime probation
Timeline of investigation and jurisdiction
Authorities said the case began in September 2023, when the victim’s mother called 911 to report allegations of abuse. Cobb County Police opened the initial investigation. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office later became involved after investigators determined that some of the alleged abuse occurred in Cherokee County, establishing a basis for prosecution there.
Role in church community and response issues raised in court filings
Turner held a leadership role at Worship With Wonders, a Cobb County church, where investigators said he initiated contact with the victim in May 2023 by inviting the boy into a church youth group. Prosecutors also stated that church leadership was informed of allegations in September 2023, but police were not immediately contacted; the victim’s mother ultimately made the 911 call.
The court sentence includes a lifetime supervision component, alongside restrictions intended to prevent any future contact with minors.
Resources for reporting child abuse in Georgia
Suspected child abuse can be reported to Georgia’s Division of Family & Children Services Centralized Intake at 855-422-4453. Emergencies should be reported to 911.