A Canton, Georgia, man who has the dubious distinction of being the biggest consumer of child porn in the state has been released on bond. Dwight Watson, 43, was arrested last week and faced 50 charges related to his consumption of child porn.
Cherokee County Sheriff’s office along with the state’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant and were shocked at what they found. According to sheriff’s office spokesperson Lt. Jay Baker, the police found “tens of thousands of files of interest” containing images and videos. State ICAC investigators describe Watson as “one of the most active child porn consumers in the state of Georgia.”
Watson’s arrest came after a two-month investigation that included monitoring his activities and searches of his home and computers. According to Baker, the investigation into the level and extent of his alleged crimes is still ongoing while law enforcement continues to examine his computers. Watson was released this past weekend from the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center after making bond.
According to its website, the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is housed within the Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit (CEACCU) at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). There are numerous local, state and federal law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies that are part of the Georgia ICAC Task Force. The mission of the ICAC Task Force is to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in developing an effective response to cyber enticement, child pornography, and the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Other recent arrests by the unit include a high-ranking official with the U.S. Army. Cyber Command Colonel Jonathan Hurwitz, stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia, was arrested in early September and is accused of sending and receiving child pornography. Hurwitz admitted that he did download child porn and viewed sex acts that included toddlers. He told investigators that he never attempted to have sex with children.
