Additional life on probation required for Raxon-Xalin

A Cedartown man will likely never get out of prison to serve a life on probation after he was sentenced to 50 years behind bars when he took a non-negotiated plea deal and received back-to-back 25 year sentences for rape and child molestation.

That means that 41-year-old Jose Raxon-Xalin will not be getting out of prison until he is in his 90s, if he makes it out at all.

Senior Judge Richard Sutton working on behalf of the Tallapoosa Circuit Superior Court handed down the consecutive 25-year sentences following the acceptance of the plea deal, and what was described as “a courageous and heart-wrenching statement from the victim” in a press release following last Thursday’s court appearance.

Alison Karch prosecuted the case for the Office of the District Attorney.

“I want to thank the victim for her bravery and willingness to stand up to her attacker,” she said in the release.  “The strength she used to tell her story was heroic.” 

Raxon-Xalin will have to serve both sentences before he is eligible for probation, which would require him to report for the rest of his life if he is able to survive his stay behind bars.

The case stemmed from charges filed in 2022 after it was learned in April of last year that the 15-year-old victim was pregnant after being taken to Atrium Health Floyd in Rome by Raxon-Xalin. At the time he was dating the victim’s mother, according the the release.

Officials in their statement about the case then went on to explain that the victim reported the rape to hospital staff, who then notified police and Cedartown Police became involved due to the incident occurring in Cedartown.

After the child was born, DNA testing from police proved that Raxon-Xalin was the father. He was indicted by a Polk County Grand Jury on charges of rape, aggravated child molestation, child molestation and statutory rape.

The other two charges were dropped as part of the plea.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Jaeson Smith added in the press release in his statement that “The Office of the District Attorney would like to thank the Cedartown Police Department and the fine nurses and staff at Atrium Health. These frontline workers were able to get the victim to safety and were instrumental in the prosecution of this case.”