Rankin County Man Sentenced to 30 Years After Pleading Guilty to Statutory Rape

After pleading guilty to a charge of Statutory Rape, a 51 year old man from Rankin County will be spending thirty years in the custody of Mississippi Department of Corrections.

According to a press release from Bubba Bramlett, Madison and Rankin Counties' District Attorney, Don Edd Woods pled guilty to charges of statutory rape and was sentenced to thirty years in prison for sexually abusing a girl of just fourteen years old.

Don Edd WoodsPhoto byDA Bubba Bramlett

In November 2023, the case was opened when Rankin County Sheriff's Department received a report from two adults, which stated that a child had shared with them that she was being abused by Woods. The child was afraid to report the abuse when it started in 2022.

After the report was made, a thorough investigation was launched into the matter. The Mississippi Children's Advocacy Center conducted a forensic interview, during which the child shared details of the abuse sustained by Woods.

Fifteen of the years that Woods was sentenced will be served without possibility of parole or early release. Woods will remain under the supervision of MDOC for five years following his release. He will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

District Attorney Bubba Bramlett stated, "We are committed to protecting children in our community and holding perpetrators accountable. We are grateful for the brave individuals who provided a safe space for this child to share her experience and for the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, which works tirelessly to guard our children from sexual predators."