Columbus police assist with child porn investigation that led to 23 arrests

The Columbus Police Department was among the multiple agencies who assisted in an undercover operation centered in Gwinnett County that targeted online child predators.

Twenty people have been arrested in connection with Operation Spring Cleaning since April 20. The suspects, who ages range from 19 to 48, were charged with computer or electronic pornography and Child Exploitation Prevention Act of 2007. Additional charges may be forthcoming, according to a news release from the GBI.

“The purpose of ‘Operation Spring Cleaning’ was to arrest persons who communicate with children online and then travel to meet them for the purpose of having sex,” the GBI stated in the release. “In addition, the operation targeted those that are willing to exploit children by purchasing sex with a minor.”

The investigation was coordinated by the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit, Gwinnett County Police Department, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office and the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office. The Columbus Police Department was among the 15 other agencies who assisted as members of the Georgia ICAC Task Force.

Their efforts led to the arrests of people who allegedly traveled from areas around metro Atlanta with the intent to meet a child for sex. The suspects’ worked as electricians, construction workers, retail employees, mechanics, hotel employees, janitors and more.

“This type of cooperation and collaboration is invaluable in the effort to keep our children safe from predators who seek to harm them,” said Debbie Garner, the commander of the Georgia ICAC Task Force. “This successful operation was a partnership amongst all the agencies involved. We will continue to aggressively work together to protect our children.”

The following people were arrested as a result of Operation Spring Cleaning:

• Scott Robert Baxter, 34, of Tucker, Ga.
• Andrew Sean Carroll, 19, of Dacula, Ga.
• Brian Dwayne Clark, 41, of Winder, Ga.
• Alisha Gagguturu, 23, of Suwanee, Ga.
• Connor Fionn Hale, 23, of Lawrenceville, Ga.
• Demetrius Deshawn Harper, 22, of Lawrenceville, Ga.
• Joel Blake Jackson, 22, of Braselton, Ga.
• Rasesh Jagtap, 33, Alpharetta, Ga.
• Akshat Jasra, 35, Alpharetta, Ga.
• David Kelley, 22, of College Park, Ga.
• Steven Anthony King, 26, of Clarksville, Ga.
• Horacio Mendoza, 48, of Lawrenceville, Ga.
• Andrew Ryan Murphy, 22, of Norcross, Ga.
• Max Park, 37, of Suwanee, Ga.
• Edward Harold Ramsey, 24, of Wichita, Kan.
• Melchior Simon, 28, of Duluth, Ga.
• Martinez-Torres Sixto, 30, of Norcross, Ga.
• Brett William Smith Jr., 35
• Zadok Smith, 27, of Duluth, Ga.
• James Evan Soggs, 20, of Sandy Springs, Ga.
• Adis Spahic, 40, of Lawrenceville, Ga.
• Ertiza Talukder, 23, of Lawrenceville, Ga.
• William David Warren, 41, of Winder, Ga.

This story was originally published April 26, 2017 at 11:16 AM with the headline "Columbus police assist with child porn investigation that led to 23 arrests."