Pickens County Man Arrested for Child Pornography

Pickens County, Ga. – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has arrested a man for uploading child pornography to the internet.

The GBI received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding the man. This led to a warrant being issued and his residence being searched by authorities. He has been arrested on multiple counts of child exploitation.

As a Georgia Sex Crimes Attorney, I will focus today's post on sexual exploitation of children.

Sexual Exploitation of Children in Georgia

The Georgia Code defines the criminal offense of sexual exploitation of children in Georgia in the statute, O.C.G.A. §16-12-100, by outlining the different ways that someone can commit the offense. These different actions include: 

• It is unlawful for any person knowingly to employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, or coerce any minor to engage in or assist any other person to engage in any sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual medium depicting such conduct.
• It is unlawful for any parent, legal guardian, or person having custody or control of a minor knowingly to permit the minor to engage in or to assist any other person to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual medium depicting such conduct.
• It is unlawful for any person knowingly to employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, or coerce any minor to engage in or assist any other person to engage in any sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of any performance.
• It is unlawful for any parent, legal guardian, or person having custody or control of a minor knowingly to permit the minor to engage in or to assist any other person to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of any performance.
• It is unlawful for any person knowingly to create, reproduce, publish, promote, sell, distribute, give, exhibit, or possess with intent to sell or distribute any visual medium which depicts a minor or a portion of a minor's body engaged in any sexually explicit conduct.
• It is unlawful for any person knowingly to advertise, sell, purchase, barter, or exchange any medium, which provides information as to where any visual medium, which depicts a minor, or a portion of a minor's body engaged in any sexually explicit conduct can be found or purchased.
• It is unlawful for any person knowingly to bring or cause to be brought into this state any material, which depicts a minor, or a portion of a minor's body engaged in any sexually explicit conduct.
• It is unlawful for any person knowingly to possess or control any material, which depicts a minor, or a portion of a minor's body engaged in any sexually explicit conduct.

If convicted of violating O.C.G.A. §16-12-100, then the convicted person is guilty of a felony offense in Georgia.  The punishment will include a prison term between five and twenty years and a fine up to $100,000. 

Practice Note

If you or a loved one has been arrested in Georgia, contact our offices today.