DECATUR COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - During the South Georgia Judicial Circuit’s first week of the trial term, three South Georgia received life sentences for their various sex crimes.

The three men are Cory Hall, Ira Wayne Josey and Kyle Wayne Singletary.

Cory Hall

On December 5, 2024, the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office requested the GBI to investigate allegations that Cory Hall had sexual contact with a minor. Through their investigation, GBI agents found sufficient evidence indicating that the allegations against Hall were true, and he was arrested.

This week, Hall’s case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael L. Bankston.

Hall pled guilty to:

• 3 counts of incest
• 1 count of aggravated sexual battery
• 1 count of sodomy
• 1 count of rape
• 1 count of enticing a child for indecent purposes

Hall was subsequently sentenced to life with 25 years to serve with the remainder on probation, and he is required to register as a sex offender.

Ira Wayne Josey

On Tuesday, May 6, Ira Wayne Josey was brought before the court and a jury of his peers on the charges of:

• 1 count of aggravated child molestation
• 4 counts of child molestation
• 2 counts of sexual exploitation of a child

After two days of trial led by Assistant District Attorney Fletcher Mulnix and a speedy deliberation of the impaneled jury, Josey was found guilty on all counts.

Josey was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Lawton Heard to life in prison without parole. Josey was sentenced to serve life without parole for aggravated child molestation to be followed by a second life sentence for child molestation. After that, Josey will serve 20 years for each count of sexual exploitation of a child.

Kyle Wayne Singletary

Kyle Wayne Singletary’s case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael L. Bankston. During which, Singletary pled guilty to:

• 2 counts of aggravated sexual battery
• 1 count of child molestation
• 1 count of aggravated sodomy
• 1 count of incest
• 1 count of enticing a child for indecent purposes

Singletary was sentenced to life with 25 years to serve with the remainder on probation, and he is required to register as a sex offender.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, defendants have pled guilty in over 50 cases to numerous felony counts during the trial term’s first week, and additional pleas are expected before the end of this trial term on May 16.

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