Roberts pleads not guilty to 106 counts

RUSSELLVILLE — A Georgia woman facing 106 counts ranging from possession of child pornography to first-degree sodomy has pleaded not guilty to the charges levied against her.

Abigail Roberts, 22, on Tuesday entered a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect during her arraignment before Franklin County Circuit Court Judge Brian Hamilton.

A grand jury in early June issued the 106-count indictment charging Roberts with 30 counts of child pornography with the intent to disseminate, 30 counts of possession of child pornography, 30 counts of production of child pornography, 11 counts of sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years old, three counts of firstdegree sodomy, and one count each of directing a child to engage in sexual intercourse or sodomy and enticing a child into a room for immoral purposes.

Over the course of 90 minutes, Hamilton read each count one at a time, ensuring Roberts understood the consequences of each package of charges against her.

The charges — all felonies — range from class A to class D with punishments for each count ranging from a year and a day in prison to 99 years to life. For the sodomy charges, she faces a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

The victim of the alleged incident was 6 years old at the time.

Facing the possibility of spending the rest of her life behind bars, Roberts did not appear emotional as Hamilton read the potential punishments.

During her preliminary hearing on April 16, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Clint Holcombe read the transcript from an interview with Roberts shortly after her arrest.

On April 12, investigators with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office were called to a home in Tharptown in reference to the allegations against Roberts.

Per Holcombe’s testimony, Roberts told investigators she and her boyfriend, Michael Chambers, were in the Tharptown area. Roberts had made the acquaintance of the victim’s mother and had been living with the family for approximately three weeks.

Chambers also faces a plethora of similar charges from the same incident but waived his right to arraignment and is now awaiting his own trial.

Roberts told investigators she was “forced” into taking photos and videos of the child because she had received threats to “kill her.” She believed her boyfriend was in a gang and her life to be in danger if she did not get the photos and videos.

Holcombe’s testimony revealed Roberts “took baths” with the victim, which is when the alleged incident took place.

Roberts later claimed she “never forced” the victim to take part in the photos, stating the child was “willing” to do so.

A search of Roberts’ electronic devices revealed numerous photos and approximately 10 videos of she and the victim “naked together” and “performing sexual acts on each other,” according to Holcombe’s testimony.

Roberts also claimed the victim “asked” if she could perform the acts on her, while also claiming the child “wanted to be a stripper” when she grows up.

Roberts, who claimed she was high on marijuana and oxycodone at the time of her arrest, told investigators she was unaware a six-year-old child could not give consent.

Hamilton set Roberts’ trial date for Aug. 17, according to court records.