Former police academy instructor charged with child molestation, grooming a minor

By Joe Johnson

A former employee at the Georgia Public Training Center was recently indicted on charges that include child molestation and grooming a minor.

Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney Randy McGinley said Samuel Ray Ham, was indicted on June 27 on charges that include four counts of child molestation, one count of grooming a minor, and three counts of sexual battery.

The indictment accuses Ham of touching a girl who was under the age of 16 in a sexual manner.

Documents indicated that his alleged “immoral and indecent acts” went back as far as April 2023 and continued up to the time of arrest.

Ham has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

He had been terminated from his position at the training center when arrested in April by the Walton County Sheriff's Office.