Dalton man gets 30 days in jail, probation for statutory rape, other offenses

June 16--A Dalton man was sentenced to 30 days in jail followed by five years on probation after pleading guilty to statutory rape and various drug charges in Whitfield County Superior Court, according to the district attorney's office.

Patrick Edward Hurney, now 20, pleaded guilty to statutory rape, battery, reckless conduct, two counts of possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, possession of drug-related objects and failure to obey a traffic control device, all misdemeanors. He also pleaded guilty to making false statements and possession of a schedule 1 controlled substance, both felonies.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Scott Helton said the statutory rape was a misdemeanor "based on age, volitional intercourse."

Georgia law says if the victim is at least 14 and the other person is no more than four years older, the offense of statutory rape is a misdemeanor.

Helton said the statutory rape case began with a female complaining she had found that Hurney had video on his phone of them having sex.

Hurney must also pay a $1,000 fine, perform 200 hours of community service, enter a rehabilitation program and undergo alcohol and drug abuse counseling, submit to random drug screens and random alcohol screens, have regular psychological treatment at least twice per month, take all medications and undergo anger management, and he cannot possess or consume alcohol.

In one of the cases, according to Helton, police responded to a loud music call and found Hurney with approximately four grams of marijuana. In another, police stopped Hurney for running a red light, they smelled marijuana, Hurney admitted to smoking marijuana and they found approximately 14 grams of marijuana in his vehicle.

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