December 18, 2021–1:34 p.m.
FLOYD COUNTY POLICE NEWS RELEASE
As a result of a proactive undercover investigation coordinated by the Floyd County Police, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), and the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, six (6) people were arrested over a three-day period beginning Wednesday, December 15, 2021. Those arrested were charged with O.C.G.A. 16-12-100.2, Computer or Electronic Pornography and Child Exploitation Prevention Act of 2007. Additional charges and arrests may be forthcoming.
“Operation Safe Christmas” was a three-day proactive effort that took several weeks of planning. The arrestees, ranging in age from 27 to 46, traveled from areas around Floyd County, and every individual arrested during the operation believed they were going to a location to meet with a child and engage in prearranged sex acts.
The goal of “Operation Safe Christmas” was to arrest persons who communicate with children online and then travel to meet them for the purpose of having sex. Online child predators visit chat rooms and websites on the internet, find children, begin conversations with them, introduce sexual content and arrange a meeting with the children for the purpose of committing sexual acts with children under the age of 16. The children these predators target are both boys and girls.
During the multi-day operation, investigators had more than 200 exchanges with subjects on various social media or internet platforms. Many of those were exchanges in which the subject initiated contact with whom they believed to be a minor and directed the conversation towards sex. In some of those cases, the subject introduced obscene or lude content, often exposing the minor (UC) to pornography or requesting the child take nude or pornographic images for them. About half of the exchanges involved websites used for dating, socializing, or even websites used for classified advertisements.
Although some websites promote themselves as being “adults-only” it is not uncommon for law enforcement to work cases in which children access these sites, establish profiles claiming to be older, and then find themselves vulnerable to victimization, harassment, blackmail, or assault.
Along with those agencies who participated in the planning and coordinating of the operation, the following six (6) additional law enforcement agencies participated in “Operation Safe Christmas”
- Floyd County Sheriff’s Office
- Floyd County 911
- Floyd County Special Weapons and Tactics
- GBI-Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center (GISAC)
- Polk County Police Department
- Rome-Floyd Metro Task Force
The following were arrested and charged in Floyd County as part of “Operation Safe Christmas”:
- Jimmy Bowen, 46 – General Laborer – Charges: Electronically furnishing obscene material to minor; Obscene internet contact with a child; Sexually explicit conduct of minor; Criminal attempt to commit a felony (aggravated child molestation)
- Jeovani Ortega, 31 – Construction- Charges: Obscene internet contact with a child; Criminal attempt to commit a felony (aggravated child molestation)
- Jeff White, 27 – Construction – Charges: Electronically furnishing obscene material to minor; Obscene internet contact with a child; Sexual exploitation of children; Aggravated Assault on Officer in Performance of Duties; Obstruction of an Officer; Interference with government property; Simple assault; Willful obstruction of law enforcement officers; Reckless conduct.
- Norman Gentry, 31 – Unemployed Charges: Obscene internet contact with a child; Use computer service to seduce, solicit, lure or entice to commit illegal act; Criminal attempt to commit a felony (aggravated child molestation), Purchase, possession, manufacture, distribution, or sale of Marijuana.
- Adam Broadrick, 40 – Unemployed – Charges: Sexual exploitation of children; Obscene internet contact with a child; Criminal attempt to commit a felony (aggravated child molestation); Willful obstruction of law enforcement officers.
- Jeremy Bowman, 44 – Elementary School Teacher – Charges: Sexual exploitation of children; Obscene internet contact with a child; Criminal attempt to commit a felony (aggravated child molestation).