GAINESVILLE — The Hall County Sheriff’s Office released details of a month-long investigation called Operation Good Shepherd which targeted online child predators. The investigation which started in late-October led to the arrest of 10 individuals.
The Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations division had personnel engaging in online communication with adults who believed that they were minors. Various mobile applications including social media platforms and text messaging were used.
Law enforcement with Hall County, Floyd County, and Forsyth County made the arrests starting on November 21, 2019. The people arrested range in age from 24 to 47 and live in various cities across Georgia. The release states, “The offenses included but were not limited to offers of money to a child (Investigator) to perform sexual acts, sending obscene images and describing sex acts.”
The investigation Operation Good Shepherd was carried out in collaboration with the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Floyd County Police Department.
The first arrest was made on November 21 in Floyd County by the Floyd County Police Department. Patrick C. Reese, 32, of Flowery Branch was charged with sexual exploitation of children and aggravated child molestation, criminal attempt.
On November 22, Alan Alberto Rojas, 24, of Lilburn was arrested by Hall County and charged with child molestation, criminal attempt; aggravated child molestation, criminal attempt; obscene material, furnish electronically to minor; enticing a child online; and human trafficking.
Two arrests were made by Hall County on November 23. Cynthia Lynn Michelle Lloyd, 25, of Gainesville was charged with prostitution and Patricia Erica Burt, 37, of Cumming was also charged with prostitution plus human trafficking.
On Monday, November 25, Hall County deputies arrested Michael Ryan Jewell, 35, of Buford for sexual exploitation of children. He has posted a $5,700 bond and was released from the Hall County Jail on November 26.
Three men were taken into custody by Hall County on Tuesday, November 26. Christopher Alan Hoover, 33, of Jasper was charged with enticing a child online (five counts), sexual exploitation of children, and pandering by compulsion. Colt David Clemmer, 33, of Talmo was arrested and charged with sexual exploitation of children. Matthew David Ingram, 34, of Gainesville faces three counts of sexual exploitation of children. Also arrested on Tuesday was William David Gowdy, 40, of Cumming. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office arrested Gowdy. He is charged with sexual exploitation of children (3 counts) and electronic enticement of a minor.
The last arrest was on Wednesday, November 27 by Hall County. They arrested Jason Noel Lingerfelt, 47, of Cleveland and charged him with four counts of enticing a child online.
All individuals unless otherwise noted remain incarcerated as of Wednesday, November 27. The operation has concluded but each individual case is still being investigated and more charges could be brought forth.
“I’m very proud of the efforts of our own Criminal Investigations Division in heading up and executing this operation,” Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said. “I’m confident the hard work of our team and partner agencies in this effort will make the community safer for our children.”
— Staff Reports
