Jack Lance “Jay” Hutcheson is widely known for his infamous reputation resulting from a legal case in which he was found guilty of numerous sexual offenses. Prior to this, he had served as the leader of a youth organization at a church located in Monroe County. The case pertained to allegations of engaging in illicit conduct with an underage individual. Hutcheson was convicted of four charges of child molestation and two charges of enticing a kid for inappropriate purposes. He received a 60-year prison term, of which 25 years would be spent in real confinement. The individual who was harmed in the incident was an adolescent male whom Hutcheson had been providing guidance to in the youth organization he supervised. The judge underscored the importance of trust and the profound repercussions of the offenses on the victim's life. Four days later, on the evening of Aug. 20, a Bibb sheriff’s deputy in the county jail discovered that Hutcheson had been assaulted by a group of inmates. The attack happened beneath some stairs “after the inmates found out what (Hutcheson) was charged with.”
He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, outwardly appearing to be a devoted man of God, volunteering with his church’s middle school youth, playing the guitar in the church’s band. … (He) used his position as a leader in a church – a youth leader – to manipulate and molest those boys entrusted to his care.
Jack Hutcheson. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Jacksonville, FL. July 31, 2024. Content unknown. SEALED
Case Report: The State vs. Jack Lance Hutcheson
Background: Jack Lance Hutcheson was indicted on multiple counts of child molestation and enticing a child for indecent purposes. The case was brought before the Court of Appeals of Georgia, where Hutcheson sought review after a jury found him guilty of various sexual offenses.
C. R. first met Hutcheson at Russellville Baptist Church when he was 12 years old, where Hutcheson was the bass player. C. R. described Hutcheson as a friend and a father figure, and they began spending time together outside of church-sponsored activities, primarily playing video games. Hutcheson had been hired as the youth pastor at Sanctuary Church, where C. R. would often "hang out" there. C. R. would also regularly stay the night with Hutcheson, who occasionally provided him with alcohol.
Around the time C. R. turned 14, Hutcheson and C. R. began engaging in certain sexual activities, such as getting drunk and watching each other masturbate. Hutcheson attempted to "jerk [C. R.] off" with his hands and put C. R.'s hands on his genitalia and then ejaculated. At times, C. R. and Hutcheson showered together, and Hutcheson touched C. R. once or twice when they did so. Eventually, Hutcheson mentioned the possibility of engaging in oral sex, but C. R. refused. These sexual interactions happened "at least every other time" C. R. went to Hutcheson's house.
Throughout high school, C. R. did not tell anyone about the sexual abuse because he was embarrassed, but he continued going to Hutcheson's house just to get away from home. When C. R. was 17 years old, he went to live with his father in Pennsylvania, where he graduated from high school. After C. R. moved in with Hutcheson, Hutcheson again mentioned engaging in sexual acts, but when C. R. continued to refuse, he eventually stopped asking.
During this time, C. B., a middle school student, began spending time with Hutcheson and spending time alone with him. Hutcheson pulled down both of their pants and made C. B. "jerk him off" while they were watching a movie. He also made C. B. sleep in his room and take showers with him. These sexual interactions between Hutcheson and C. B. happened "[m]ore times than [C. B.] could count," and C. B. believed that if he stopped going to Hutcheson's house, people would find out about what was happening. Hutcheson admitted that C. R.'s allegations were true, said he had a "problem with boys," and apologized for his conduct.
Charges: Hutcheson faced four counts of child molestation (OCGA § 16-6-4) and two counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes (OCGA § 16-6-5).
Evidence and Trial: The evidence presented at trial included 13 images of child pornography recovered from Hutcheson's computer. The trial court admitted these images into evidence under OCGA § 24-4-414, despite Hutcheson's argument that they were too dissimilar to the charged conduct.
Appeal: On appeal, Hutcheson argued that:
The trial court erred in admitting the images found on his computer.
The search warrant for his computer was defective.
His trial counsel was ineffective for failing to object to various hearsay statements and for withdrawing a motion to suppress statements Hutcheson made to his pastor.
Outcome: Upon review, the Court of Appeals rejected all of Hutcheson's enumerations of error and affirmed his convictions and sentence.
Victim Impact: The victim, identified as C.R., first met Hutcheson at the age of 12. Hutcheson, who was a youth pastor and a father figure to C.R., began engaging in sexual activities with him around the time C.R. turned 14. These activities occurred frequently over several years, significantly impacting C.R.'s well-being.
Conclusion: Jack Lance Hutcheson was sentenced to a total of 60 years, with 25 years to be served in prison. He must serve 20 years before he is eligible for parole. This sentence was affirmed upon appeal, and his motion for a new trial was denied. The case of Jack Lance Hutcheson highlights the severe consequences of sexual offenses involving minors and the legal system's efforts to address such crimes. The appellate court's decision to uphold the convictions serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding children from exploitation and abuse.
Hutcheson was beaten by other inmates at the Bibb County jail when the prisoners learned of his crimes in the days after his conviction. On Aug. 16, Jack Lance “Jay” Hutcheson, 34, was found guilty of child molestation for illicit sex acts with two underage boys from his church. He was sentenced to 25 years behind bars and 35 more on probation. Four days later, on the evening of Aug. 20, a Bibb sheriff’s deputy in the county jail on Oglethorpe Street discovered that Hutcheson had been assaulted by a group of inmates. The attack happened beneath some stairs “after the inmates found out what (Hutcheson) was charged with,” a report of the incident noted.
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