A Cherokee County man will spend the rest of his life in prison for sexually abusing a child.

What’s Happening: Superior Court Judge Shannon Wallace sentenced Michael Clay Downey to life in prison without the possibility of parole, followed by a second life sentence, and an additional 70 years on December 22. He must serve the first 69 years of the additional sentence in prison.

What’s Important: This is the maximum sentence the law allows. A jury found Downey guilty of all nine charges he faced at his trial in November.

How This Affects Real People: The sentence ensures Downey will remain in prison for the rest of his life and cannot harm other children.

The Charges: Downey faced two counts of rape, two counts of incest, three counts of aggravated sexual battery, and two counts of child molestation.

What Happened: The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office started investigating in September 2024 after a child under the age of 12 told authorities about multiple acts of sexual abuse that happened over several months. Downey knew the child and committed the acts in a Canton home.

The Sentencing: During the December 22 hearing, Downey’s defense lawyers asked the judge to sentence him to 25 years in prison, the minimum the law allows. The state, represented by Assistant District Attorney David Bailey, asked for the maximum sentence.

“The facts of this case are nothing short of atrocious, and no sentence can undo the harm that was done. This defendant raped an innocent 11-year-old child, who will live with the impact of his actions for the rest of her life,” said Assistant District Attorney David Bailey, of the Special Victims Unit, who prosecuted this case on behalf of the state. “The maximum sentence ensures that this defendant will be held accountable and will spend the remainder of his life in prison.”

Judge Wallace agreed with the state’s recommendation and handed down the maximum sentence.

“This sentence reflects the seriousness of these horrific crimes and our office’s unwavering commitment to protecting children. It sends a clear message that those who sexually abuse children will face the harshest consequences allowed by law. Our office will continue to stand with victims and work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice,” said District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway.

“There are moments when we all know exactly what we’re looking at.”