Monroe man in his 60s pleads guilty to second lifetime sex offense:

With a jury trial scheduled for next week, Eugene Seats pleaded guilty today to Aggravated Child Molestation, Aggravated Sexual Battery, and Sexual Battery Against a Child Under the Age of 16. Seats had previously served a prison sentence after pleading guilty to Child Molestation, Statutory Rape, and Incest in Newton County in 2006.

The investigation into the current case began in July of 2023 when the minor victim fled her home to call 911. Officers responded and the victim told them that Seats, who was in a relationship with the victim's mother, had been sexually abusing the victim. The victim was later forensically interviewed where she described the abuse in detail.

Eugene Seats

The State had previously sought, and the Court allowed, evidence of the 2006 child molestation to be admitted if the case proceeded to trial. The victim in that case was prepared to testify about the facts that led to Seats' guilty plea in 2006.

After hearing from the State and the defense, the Court sentenced Seats to 25 years to serve without parole followed by life on probation. Seats will be in his late 80s when he is released from prison.

In March of this year, the victim's mother in this case, Rene Long pleaded guilty to Cruelty to Children in the Second Degree for her actions and inactions to allow the victim to continue to be around and alone with Seats. Long was sentenced to 10 years with the first 2 years to be served in confinement.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Lacey Majors, Victim Services Directory Kim Kelly, Chief Investigator Josh Chambers, and Senior Legal Assistant Melanie Sims. The arrest and investigation was handled by the Monroe Police Department. The victim received services from A Child's Voice Child Advocacy Center.

Randy McGinley

District Attorney

Alcovy Judicial Circuit