Keith Martin Gouger, 46, of Powder Springs,  was found guilty by a Cobb County jury of aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, and cruelty to children in the second degree.  The victim was the daughter of his fiance.

After the verdict, Cobb County Superior Court Judge Ann B. Harris sentenced Gouger to life in prison.

A public information release from Cobb County District Attorney Flynn Broady, Jr. described this incident leading to the arrest and conviction as follows:

“In the early morning hours of November 7, 2020, the mother of the seven-year-old victim awoke to the sounds of her fiancé Keith Gouger talking to someone in the living room. 

“She began recording the voices after realizing he was talking to her 7-year-old daughter. 

“The defendant was making sexually explicit comments to the victim, and the victim was heard gagging. 

“When confronted by the victim’s mother, the defendant claimed he was offering the child candy, which caused her to choke. 

“The victim was visibly distraught and crying. Later that night, the victim disclosed that the defendant made her perform oral sex on multiple occasions.

“The mother of the victim reported the incident to Powder Springs Police Department. During an interview with the child, she described the encounters with the defendant in detail. Gouger was arrested a few days later.”

“This predator was held accountable for his crimes. He can’t hurt any more children,” said DA Broady.. “I want to commend our ADA Lindsay Raynor, the trial team, law enforcement agency and SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center for working together to make our community safer for all.”

The victim testified at the trial, and the jury returned a guilty verdict.

Assistant District Attorney Lindsay Raynor prosecuted the case.

Marietta attorney Ashley Merchant represented Gouger at the trial and sentencing.

The District Attorney’s office attached the following plea to the public to the public information release:

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911. If you or someone you know has been a victim of child sexual assault, please contact your local police department to file a report. For additional resources, please contact SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center at 770-801-3465.