CATOOSA COUNTY, GA – A Hamilton County man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison following a Catoosa County jury’s conviction on multiple counts of child cruelty and domestic violence.
Stefon Smith, 43, was found guilty on March 18 after a two-day trial on charges including two counts of Cruelty to Children in the First Degree, one count in the Second Degree, two counts in the Third Degree, False Imprisonment, and Family Violence Battery. Superior Court Judge Chris Arnt sentenced Smith to 50 years, with the first 30 to be served in the Georgia Department of Corrections.
The charges stem from a violent incident on May 10, 2023, when Smith assaulted his partner and her children in their shared residence. According to trial evidence, the altercation began when Smith became enraged over dinner and escalated to physical violence. He broke a glass at the dinner table, forced his way into a locked bedroom where the mother had sought refuge with her three children, and assaulted her while she was holding their 9-month-old daughter.
Smith reportedly threw the woman’s 5-year-old son, struck her repeatedly, and forced her down on top of the infant. He then prevented the family from leaving and threatened suicide while holding a firearm.
The next day, the mother reported the abuse to authorities and took the children to T.C. Thompson’s Children’s Hospital for evaluation. Medical staff discovered that the infant had tested positive for cocaine. During an interview with Catoosa County Investigator Clay Thompson, Smith admitted to cocaine use and exposing the child to the drug.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Deanna Reisman prosecuted the case, with support from Victim Advocate Shelby Armstrong. District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller praised the outcome and the work of law enforcement and legal personnel involved.
“The trial team and the jury did what needed to be done: they stood up for that family and for justice,” Fuller said. “In Tennessee, he might’ve gotten a talking to and probation. In Georgia, he got 50 years. If you’re thinking about bringing your violent crimes across the border—don’t. In Northwest Georgia, we do
