March 22, 2023 — Ringgold, GA — On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, Michael Shane Cramer, a 53 year old man from Tunnel Hill, Georgia was convicted by a Catoosa County jury on two counts of Child Molestation and one count of Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes. The evidence presented over the course of a two day trial, presided over by Judge Don W. Thompson, showed that Cramer began molesting his 13 year old daughter in the summer of 2018. The victim had lived most of her life until that point with her maternal grandparents and had never met Cramer. Cramer was able to get visitation with his daughter, and weekend visits were allowed over the summer of 2018. While visiting Cramer at his home in Tunnel Hill, Cramer would perform acts of child molestation on the victim. In September of 2018, the victim’s grandfather located text messages on the victim’s cell phone between Cramer and the victim that depicted acts of a sexual nature. Cramer had texted the victim referencing acts of molestation that Cramer had done to her during prior visits and expressing his intent to commit acts of child molestation during future visits. The victim’s grandfather contacted the Catoosa County Sheriffs Office and turned the cell phone over to them. Lieutenant Todd Pitts with the Catoosa County Sheriff s Office contacted Cramer and interviewed him about the sexual text messages he had sent his daughter. Cramer provided a lengthy interview wherein he first denied touching his daughter, then admitted to teaching her how to masturbate, and finally admitted to rubbing her on her inner thigh, but maintained it was not for a sexual purpose, but was only to see if his daughter “had the self-control to stop him.” The jury was unconvinced of Cramer’s explanation and deliberated for less than two hours before returning guilty verdicts. Cramer was sentenced immediately after return of the verdict by Judge Don W. Thompson to forty years, with thirty-nine of those years to be served in the Georgia Department of Corrections. Over the two day trial, testimony was given against Cramer by Catoosa County Sheriffs Office Lieutenant Todd Pitts, District Attorney Chief Investigator Christy Smith, and Senior Forensic Interviewer Holly Kittle, from the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Children’s Advocacy Center. The victim in the case bravely took the witness stand during the trial to confront Cramer and described the abuse he inflicted on her for the jury. The State of Georgia was represented by Assistant District Attorney Deanna Reisman who was assisted by administrative staff Leann Black and Jennifer Jackson. Victim Advocate Amber Armstrong and Christy Smith, Chief Investigator for the Office of the District Attorney, provided invaluable assistance during the course of the prosecution. The successful prosecution was made possible by Lieutenant Todd Pitts with the Catoosa County Sheriffs Office who investigated the case.
Tunnel Hill man convicted of child molestation in Catoosa County
