Sexual assaulter sentenced to 40 years

A Canton man was sentenced to 40 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges of sexual battery and felon in possession of a firearm related to an incident that happened in January, Madison County District Attorney Bubba Bramlett said.

Antwon Harris, 35, of Canton pled guilty to sexual battery and felon in possession of a firearm as a non-violent habitual offender on Monday. 

He was sentenced by Judge Steve Ratcliff to the maximum for each offense for a total of 40 years to serve day-for-day, without eligibility for parole.

“Antwon Harris deserves every day of the sentence he received,” Bramlett said. 

On Jan. 13 Harris posed as a new hire for Canton Manor Nursing Home. He was allowed entry into the building in the early morning hours. After gaining access to the facility, Harris went to the room of a 29-year-old female resident. Due to severe developmental delays, the victim had been a resident in a care facility for most of her life, Bramlett said. 

Harris then forced her to have sexual intercourse with him. Nursing staff at Canton Manor found a used condom in the victim’s trash can, alerting them to the sexual assault. Harris’s DNA was found on the victim’s body.