Coweta County, Georgia (March 3rd, 2026) – Just over a year after his indictment on multiple charges of Sexual Exploitation of Children, the case against Craig Allan Jacobson has come to an end.
On February 2, 2026, Jacobson entered a negotiated guilty plea to three of the six counts: Count 1 and Count 2 (Sexual Exploitation of Children), and Count 6 (Obscene Internet Contact with a Child)
Investigation
The investigation into Craig Allan Jacobson was initiated on November 22, 2024, after the Coweta County Crime Suppression Unit received an Internet Crimes Against Children cyber tip. Investigators discovered that Jacobson was in possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material and had been transmitting photographs of younger family members to individuals he met online who were also under investigation for similar offenses.
Based on these findings, arrest warrants were issued, and Jacobson was taken into custody on November 25, 2024. As part of the arrest, deputies executed a search warrant at his residence and recovered multiple electronic devices, including a cell phone that Jacobson confirmed was secured using his fingerprint. Jacobson was booked into the Coweta County Jail at 9:24 PM that evening on a felony charge of Child Sexual Exploitation.
Following his arrest, a commitment hearing was ordered on December 20, 2024. Jacobson’s defense underwent a change in representation when attorney J. Ryan Brown took over the case on January 2, 2025, and subsequently filed a motion for bond and demands for discovery. The pre-trial investigation phase formally concluded shortly after, when a Grand Jury issued a Bill of Indictment against Jacobson on January 16, 2025.
Indictment and Court Case
On January 16, 2025, a Coweta County Grand Jury formally issued a Bill of Indictment against Craig Allan Jacobson, charging him with six felony counts for offenses occurring between September 15 and November 21, 2024. Counts 1 through 5 charged Jacobson with Sexual Exploitation of Children for knowingly possessing specific video files depicting a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Count 6 charged him with Obscene Internet Contact with a Child for using an online messaging service to communicate explicit sexual descriptions to someone he believed to be a child under 16.
The court activity leading to his plea involved several changes in defense representation and pre-trial motions:
- December 10, 2024: Attorney Ken Cooke filed the initial entry of appearance for the defense following Jacobson’s November 25 arrest.
- January 2, 2025: Attorney J. Ryan Brown took over as defense counsel, filing consolidated motions, demands for discovery, and a motion for bond.
- January 31, 2025: Following the indictment, Jacobson waived his formal arraignment and entered an initial plea of not guilty.
- February 13, 2025: Jacobson’s motion for bond was officially denied by Judge Emory Palmer.
- February 19, 2025: An electronic discovery audit log was officially certified for the defense.
- September 17, 2025: Attorney Dane M. Garland officially substituted J. Ryan Brown as Jacobson’s defense counsel.
This pre-trial activity culminated on February 2, 2026 , when Jacobson appeared in court and entered a negotiated guilty plea deal, outlined below.
Plea Deal and Sentencing
On February 2, 2026, Craig Allan Jacobson entered into a negotiated plea deal where he agreed to plead guilty to three of his six charges: Count 1, Count 2, and Count 6. In exchange for his guilty plea, the prosecution agreed to nolle prosequi (dismiss) the remaining charges of Sexual Exploitation of Children under Counts 3, 4, and 5.
Here is the count-by-count sentencing breakdown:
- Count 1 (Sexual Exploitation of Children): Jacobson was sentenced to 20 years, with 10 years to be served in confinement. He was also ordered to pay $100 in court costs, must abide by sex offender conditions, and was recommended for a transitional center.
- Count 2 (Sexual Exploitation of Children): Jacobson was sentenced to 20 years to be served concurrently (at the same time) with Count 1.
- Count 6 (Obscene Internet Contact with a Child): Jacobson was sentenced to 10 years to be served concurrently with Count 1.
Total Time in Jail vs. Probation: Because the sentences for Counts 2 and 6 run concurrently with his sentence for Count 1, Jacobson’s maximum effective sentence length is 20 years. Under the terms of the agreement for Count 1, he is ordered to serve 10 years in confinement (jail/prison). Once his 10-year custodial sentence is complete, the remaining 10 years of his 20-year sentence will be served on probation under mandatory sex offender conditions.
Conditions of Probation
As part of his guilty plea, Craig Allan Jacobson’s probation includes both general special conditions and strict sex offender special conditions.
General Special Conditions of Probation:
- Reporting and Monitoring: Jacobson must report to the probation office as directed, abide by a curfew established by his probation officer, and allow the probation office access to his medical, clinical, treatment, work, driving, and criminal records.
- Warrantless Searches: He waived his Fourth Amendment rights, meaning he must submit to a search of his person, residence, papers, and vehicle at any time by a probation or law enforcement officer without a warrant.
- Substance Abuse Restrictions: He is strictly prohibited from consuming or possessing alcohol and illegal drugs, associating with anyone who uses illegal drugs, or occupying any residence, vehicle, or establishment where alcohol or illegal drugs are present. He must also produce breath, saliva, urine, or blood specimens for drug and alcohol screening upon request.
- DNA: Because he was convicted of a felony, he must provide a DNA sample.
Because his offenses involved minors, he is subject to additional, highly restrictive conditions:
Sex Offender Special Conditions:
- Strict Restrictions Regarding Minors: Jacobson is prohibited from having any contact (direct, indirect, or incidental) with anyone under the age of 18 unless approved, and he cannot reside with any child under 18, including his own children, without written court approval. He may not date or marry anyone with children under 18 without prior written approval, nor can he create, possess, or access any digital imagery or photographs of minors.
- Sexually Oriented Material: He is forbidden from possessing or subscribing to any sexually oriented material (including mail, computer, or television content) and cannot patronize places where such entertainment is available.
- Victim Restrictions: He is ordered to have no contact with the victim, including correspondence, electronic communication, or third-party contact, and cannot travel past or loiter near the victim’s residence.
- Treatment and Polygraphs: Jacobson must actively participate in and financially cover the costs of a state-approved sex offender evaluation and treatment program. As part of this case monitoring and treatment, he must also submit to and pay for psychological and physiological assessments, including polygraph and plethysmograph tests.
- Daily Life and Employment: Any change in his residence or employment must be pre-approved by his Community Supervision Officer. He is also required to maintain a driving log for his supervising officer, cannot utilize 900 numbers or rent post office boxes without permission, and is not allowed to hitchhike or pick up hitchhikers.
Latest
Since entering his guilty plea on February 2, 2026, Craig Allan Jacobson has been officially transferred into the state prison system to serve his sentence. Here is what has happened:
- February 4, 2026: A Prisoner Personal History Sheet was filed in his Coweta County Superior Court case.
- February 19, 2026: Jacobson’s official incarceration with the Georgia Department of Corrections began.
- Current Status: He is currently an active inmate serving his sentence at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison.
- Release Date: According to his Department of Corrections profile, his maximum possible release date is listed as November 24, 2034.
