GALLATIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Hendersonville man convicted of sexually abusing multiple children over more than a decade has been sentenced to 438 years in prison.
Matthew Cody Ball, 36, was sentenced Tuesday by Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Nichols following a March jury conviction on charges including continuous sexual abuse of a child, nine counts of rape of a child, aggravated sexual battery, rape, and statutory rape by an authority figure.
Prosecutors said Ball’s crimes spanned roughly 13 years and occurred in multiple counties across Tennessee as well as in Texas. The case began in 2024 when a 10-year-old girl reported inappropriate touching to authorities.
During a forensic interview, the victim described years of abuse that began when she was 4 years old, investigators said. After Ball’s arrest, additional victims came forward with similar allegations.
During sentencing, prosecutors presented evidence involving two additional victims who were not part of the original trial, bringing the total number of known victims to six.
In handing down the sentence, the judge cited Ball’s criminal history, the severity and duration of the abuse, the lasting impact on the victims, and the position of trust he held in their lives.
Under Tennessee law, Ball will serve the sentence without the possibility of parole. He will also be required to register as a violent sex offender and will be subject to lifetime community supervision.
The Sumner County District Attorney’s Office said the sentence is the longest imposed in a child sexual abuse case in Sumner County history short of life without parole. They noted Ball was not eligible for a life-without-parole sentence or the death penalty due to when the crimes occurred.
Austin Pollack brings us an update on a remarkable young man facing great odds, and his family has one simple request: pray for Cole. I believe in the power of prayer and hope you'll join me in lifting up Cole and his family.
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