Ex-metro Atlanta church leader Marcus Kendall Turner admits to grooming, abusing teen

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — A former Cobb County church leader was sentenced to 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a teenager, prosecutors said.

Marcus Kendall Turner, 34, of Acworth admitted in Cherokee County Superior Court to multiple felony sex crimes involving a middle school-aged boy, according to the Office of the District Attorney for the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit. Investigators say Turner’s charges stem from actions that took place over several months beginning in 2023.

Authorities say Turner met the boy in May 2023 and invited him to join a church youth group he helped lead. Over the next few months, prosecutors say Turner spent increasing amounts of time alone with the child and communicated extensively with him by phone and text message, exchanging more than 12,000 messages, some of which contained sexually explicit content.

Officials said the sexual abuse occurred at Turner’s home in Cherokee County during August and September 2023. Law enforcement became involved after the victim’s mother called 911 to report suspected abuse, prompting a joint investigation by the Cobb County Police Department and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

Turner pleaded guilty to nine sex crime charges, including aggravated child molestation and other related offenses. During the sentencing hearing, the victim and his mother delivered impact statements describing the lasting emotional harm caused by the abuse.

At sentencing, the judge imposed a 25-year prison term without parole, followed by lifetime probation. Turner was also ordered to register as a sex offender and is prohibited from having any contact with minors, including the victim and his family.

The case has drawn attention to how trusted adults in community institutions can exploit vulnerable youth, with prosecutors emphasizing the importance of vigilance and reporting.