The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office released Scott Dean to the custody of the Georgia Department of Corrections on Thursday.
Dean, convicted in December on two counts of child molestation, was sent to Coastal State Prison in Savannah, according to an email from sheriff’s Capt. Steve Morris.
Coastal State Prison is one of two diagnostic centers in Georgia where convicted felons are evaluated, then given a permanent prison assignment.
Convicted of molesting and exposing himself to his adopted daughter, Dean was sentenced last month to 20 years in prison followed by 20 years on probation.
Dean formerly served on the Columbia County Commission and as mayor of Harlem.
Above says 1 comment, but it is not posted. Comments not showing up. I see.dean's hair is gone too.
I find it rather revealing that in a 2 wk period this area has convicted several of murder & other vile crimes but yet Scott Dean is the only one that received a huge front page picture. Also noteworthy is our local "golden boy of law enforcement" the one & only Austin Rhodes has placed this same picture on his facebook page. I assume the Chronicle thinks that the good people of Columbia County only read articles with big pictures or that they really want to rub it in to the Dean family. The bitter hatred shown to this family absolutely astonishes me. The people that stood up for him at trial & sentencing have been attacked verbally in public & well as his family. What kind of animal does this? Whatever sins Scott Dean has do not extend to his family. He has no access to the newspaper so all that is said or shown just goes to hurt his family more.
Yellow journalism is what I expect from Austin Rhodes but it's sad when it extends to the Chronicle.
mll - Don't get the 'animals' involved in your comment - they are innocent - they don't do things like what is mentioned above, which is disgusting!
Perhaps it's because his family still refuses to accept the fact that he has been proven guilty by a panel of his peers. Love is blind but the community as a whole fell out of love with Mr. Dean when the texting details came out. Once it became evident he was not the upstanding citizen and Christan he professed to be it became next to impossible to believe anything he said.
Dean is not a victim. He is the criminal. I see nothing attacking his family.
There was absolutely no need to publish this photo of Dean other than to cause further pain to him and his family. We have seen the murderers treated more kindly. If Austin did what has been reported, I am very disappointed in him.
Inmates get a photo on the GA corrections website. I think this will be his.
Dean is the one who caused pain to his family.
Happy, it is true Dean brought on his own problems and caused pain to many, including himself. There are just too many exploiting and enjoying this process. If we cannot show compassion on our own , God will eventually bring the lesson home to us. I don't want to be standing anywhere close to those people when that happens.
Yes, he was found guilty, but we don't need to take delight in it or make fun of him. He has a wife, a mother, and others, including Christ, who love and grieve for him.
Anyone who harms a child gets no sympathy from me.
Thankfully our God doesn't qualify who is eligible for mercy.
He doesn't remove the consequences, but he loves us through them. That is our model, the example that was given to us.
In all of my years of reading the online Augusta Chronicle this is the only time I have read comments, by some, that are not critical of a convicted child molester. Does this photo offend him or make fun of him or show how he is now? Does McKee's big eared Obama caricatures offend him or make fun of him? Selective outrage. Sorry folks but if you are too thin skinned to take the spotlight then don't put yourself in it.
WB, I agree with you totally in theory. However, I find it virtually impossible to have compassion for a convicted child molester.
I am able to feel compassion for the child that was affected by Mr. Dean and for the rest of his family. For him....not so much...matter of fact zilch, nada, nil, none!
Willow, how do they pick and choose whose family it will cause pain to. I like you so much, but, I want to know how the choices are made as to what the paper prints.
As to his guilt or innocence, I have no opinion. I didn't sit in on the trial and I certainly didn't serve on the jury, the ultimate decision level.
The whole situation is bizarre and I'm not about to trust the reporting in a newspaper for facts. I've seen my husband in the past misquoted to the hilt, complete with quotation remarks.
This is the last comment I will make tonight. Imagine everyone-considering all of the hatred aimed at Dean & his parents, his children, what if he was really innocent but was convicted by circumstantial evidence through no fault of the victim or him-what now? What would everyone say? Would they still bombard the family & the media with hate talk? From the conclusion of this conversation & many others the facts don't count, just the opinions of people that were not privy to the family, not privy to the actions & testimonies of individuals in court, not privy to any facts except what was reported in the media which was questionable at numerous times. All that matters to this forum is the rumors & vicious statements made by people that have no knowledge of any of the information. That is what is disgusting.
KSL,
In my opinion the print media, local talk show host and public opinion have worn this fella out.
I don't pick between families as to who has the pain and who doesn't, because, it is always both sides that are hurting.
Cynical, says she feels nothing for Dean as to compassion, and I admire her honesty. Sometimes, I do find myself in that situation as well. For example remember the child molester with the tumor on his forehead; I couldn't feel anything for him but disdain. I watched as others commented on his physical appearance, and then ICL stated that her grandfather (I think) had the same dysfigurement which did serve to remind me that no matter how negatively I was feeling about him, someone, somewhere loved him, especially God.
Don't get the idea that I want to see criminals go unpunished, I don't; but I often have great compassion for them. Perhaps, it's through being involved with so many women who have gone through difficult circumstances with their loved ones and through my own struggles in life, that I am so grateful for God's mercy on me and those that I love.
And though I am no fan of his, I really don't KNOW that he is guilty.
When Casey Anthony was set free, I grieved for the lack of justice for that baby girl. I don't always get it right but, my heart has a mind of it's own.
And, thanks, I like you too.
Well, God is not here personally to judge anyone, at least to my knowledge. That is why we have courts of "justice". This court judged the man guilty based upon the testimony given. To declare that the child that charged him was "disturbed" must be backed by testimony from a psychologist or another professional with the expertise to make the proper assessment and not from individuals that have a bias in the case.
As far as "KNOWING" if he is actually guilty or not, who knows? People have been sent to prison that have been innocent. Time will tell but right now the courts have spoken and it is up to Dean to clear himself if, indeed, he needs to be cleared.
I find it disturbing that people actually defend this child molester. Jake I agree with everything you said.
Having served on a jury that had to let an obviously guilty drug dealer go because the state blew the case, I won't disregard that the opposite can happen. My point simply was that the reports I read in this newspaper were not enough for me to be a juror and convict him.
I neither efend him, nor accuse him. Movie quote: I don't have an opinion.
I just wish that criminals accused of murder could be as speedily processed thruoghthe system as Dean was. The speedy disposition of accused murders in and of itself would serve as somewhat of a deterrent. At least, that is what we were taught in criminology.
Rose & KSL, I love you both. I have known you both the longest online. Take care, Jake.
"Many break law again after first offender sex crime plea"
Ya'll just have to take a look at this article in today's paper. This is exactly what I am talking about. Dean's sentence is not even close to being in line with the charges.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
