A Canton man has been found guilty of rape and aggravated assault by a Cherokee County jury.
Mariano Diego-Tercero, 35, of Canton, was found guilty Feb. 2 of all charges, which include rape, two counts of aggravated assault, and criminal attempt to commit a felony, the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office announced.
Sentencing is set for Feb. 9.
Canton police began investigating this case in November 2022, when a woman reported that she was raped by Diego-Tercero in Canton. The woman said that Diego-Tercero placed a knife to her neck while forcing himself on her, prosecutors said. The defendant was known to the woman and her family.
During the five-day trial, the victim, law enforcement officers, and a sexual assault nurse who is an expert on trauma testified for the state. A second woman testified about similar sexual predatory acts committed by the same man, according to the district attorney’s office.
The jury deliberated for about three hours before finding the defendant guilty of all charges.