NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A man was sentenced to 50 years in prison after being convicted on five counts of sexual abuse against a child relative.
According to a release on the sentencing, in November of 2021, Child Protective Services and Norfolk Police were made aware about sexual abuse committed by 35-year-old Paul Thomas Cheatham. The child, who was under the age of five at the time of the offense, told school staff of the abuse, leading to a forensic interview with experts at the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.
Following the interview, police were able to secure charges against Cheatham, including taking indecent liberties with a child as their custodian, the object sexual penetration of a child under the age of 13, aggravated sexual batter of a child under the age of 13 and two counts of sodomy of a child under the age of 13.
Cheatham was then found guilty on all charges on Feb. 5, 2025 after he initially pleaded not-guilty and requested to be tried by a jury.
During his sentencing on June 13, Cheatham was sentenced to serve a total of 50 years in prison with 115 years suspended on the condition of indefinite uniform good behavior. He will also have to complete an indefinite amount of supervised probation following his release and register as a sex offender.
“The jury spoke in this case, and for the abuse Mr. Cheatham inflicted on an innocent child he will now spend most if not all of the rest of his life in prison,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi said. “While this sentence cannot undo the harm that Mr. Cheatham caused, I hope that it offers some closure for the survivor and the survivor’s family. Cases like these — where the harm is great, the danger to the community is real, and there must be consequences — are the ones to which we in Norfolk will continue to devote our resources.”
If you or you know someone who may be a victim of domestic violence or child abuse, click here for a list of local and national resources.