Warner Robins man abuses trust of family friend’s child, sentenced to 20 years for child molestation and sexual exploitation 

WARNER ROBINS — Leroy Layton, 64, of Warner Robins plead guilty on Monday to child molestation and sexual exploitation of children specifically taking and keeping lewd images of a child. Layton was sentenced to 20 years and will serve the first 19 years in prison. 

According to a Houston County District Attorney’s Office media release, 20 years is the maximum sentence for a single count of child molestation. Layton will be listed as a registered sex offender after his prison sentence.

Law enforcement learned of Layton’s offenses in March 2025. The child victim was 10-years-old at the time and was living in Layton’s home along with an adult family member of the victim. The release said Layton was seen as a family friend. The adult family member of the victim went through the child’s iPad that Layton gave them and found nude images of the child that Layton had taken. There were also nude photos of Layton that had been sent to the child found. 

The adult family member then reported these acts to the Houston County Sheriff’s Office’s Juvenile Investigations Division who investigated. The release said the child victim told law enforcement that Layton had been taking lewd photos of them for almost two years. 

The case was investigated by Sgt. Bennett Lashley of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office’s Juvenile Investigation Division. Assistant District Attorney Brandi Holland was the lead prosecutor on the case. 

Houston County District Attorney Eric Edwards said in a statement that children should never have to fear exploitation from a trusted adult. He said Layton abused that trust.