WOODSTOCK, GA — On Thursday, June 5, a Woodstock man was sentenced to 50 years, spending 20 of those in prison for repeated, violent assaults against a woman he was in a relationship with.
38-year-old David Graham was charged with family violence aggravated assault (2 counts), false imprisonment, family violence battery (3 counts), influencing a witness, and terroristic threats.
Graham entered a negotiated guilty plea and will spend 30 additional years on probation after he’s released from prison.
The charges stem from a 2024 investigation brought by the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office when deputies went to speak with a woman at Northside Cherokee Hospital who said she had been physically assaulted inside a home in Woodstock.
Rachel Ashe, Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney with the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit, says Graham was arrested after holding the victim against her will overnight and abused her.
According to a news release, the victim told deputies that Graham “repeatedly punched and kicked her, threatened her with a machete and hammer, and held her against her will inside the home.”
Ashe says the woman was able to escape the home, but Graham continued to threaten the victim over the phone while in jail.
“Evidence in this case showed that over the course of one terrifying night, this defendant subjected a woman to prolonged and brutal violence,” said Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe, who prosecuted this case on behalf of the State. “This was not an isolated incident. David Graham had abused this woman before, and this time he could have killed her. Even after his arrest, he continued the cycle of abuse by calling from jail to threaten her and pressure her to recant. This sentence holds him accountable and brings justice for the fear and harm he inflicted.”
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic violence, support is available. In case of an emergency, please call 911.