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Georgia youth minister molested child, coached him to perform child porn, police say

Authorities were able to arrest the community leader as part of its "Spring Cleaning Operation."

FLOYD COUNTY, Ga. — A youth community leader is facing charges after investigators with the Floyd County Police Department said he was caring for a juvenile while molesting him and forcing him to participate in child pornography.

FCPD said they made the arrest during Operation Spring Cleaning, a two-day mission investigating suspicious cyber activity in Rome, Cave Spring and unincorporated portions of the county targeting reports of child pornography.

Authorities said they confirmed tips, adding the graphic images involved children between the ages of two and 12 years old. Police made seven arrests in the case, according to a news release.

Investigators said they were able to rescue the juvenile in one of the cases, adding the child was living with the youth minister. Police said the minister was coaching the child about how to act in videos and engaged in acts of child molestation. The child had no family and the minister had taken the juvenile under their care, FCPD said.

Through the two-day sting, investigators obtained search warrants and said some of the child pornography seized off of technology was made locally in Georgia and had been distributed via social media, online chat groups and messenger apps, a news release reads.

Authorities also seized devices, sex toys and other items used to coerce sex acts with children, records show.

"In some cases, police have found that owners of child pornography move to actual physical assaults of children. Those children sometimes grow up to predators who continue the savage cycle of victimization," the department said in a news release. Investigators said dedicating time to target such individuals helps make the county and children safer.

FCPD has developed a strong working relationship with the GBI cyber unit since 2017, according to the department. The GBI's training has helped FCPD conduct operations to arrest internet predators. In 2021 there were 43 tips received by the FCPD from the GBI.

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