An Athens man who is on the Georgia Sex Offender Registry was arrested this week on a child molestation charge.
Athens-Clarke County police said Timothy Paul Crane allegedly molested a 4-year-old girl by fondling himself in her presence. The alleged abuse occurred on multiple occasions between July 20 and Sept. 19, according to police.
The girl, described by police as “very chatty,” reportedly told her mother and biological father what Crane allegedly had done in her presence. The girl’s story remained consistent when undergoing a forensic interview at the Family Protection Center, according to police.
No allegations of physical contact were made by the girl, police said.
Based on what the girl told the forensic interviewer, police obtained an arrest warrant charging him with felony child molestation. He was booked Wednesday at the Clarke County Jail without bail being set.
Crane, 55, is on the state’s sex offender registry as the result of 1999 statutory rape conviction in Jackson County.
The girl who made the recent allegations does not live Athens. Police said her mother would bring the child to Athens to see a female relative, who was in a romantic relationship with Crane and lived with him in north Athens. The alleged molestation occurred during some of those visits, when the child was left alone with the suspect, police said.
During the forensic interview, the girl reportedly described Crane as applying cream to his genitalia “to make it big.”
Follow Criminal Justice reporter Joe Johnson at www.facebook.com/JoeJohnsonABH or www.twitter.com/JoeJohnsonABH.