Royston Man Caught in Multi-Agency Child Porn Sting

A fast-food worker from Franklin County is among those arrested by the GBI in a multi-agency child pornography sting.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation,  nine people were arrested over a three-day period beginning Thursday, July 25.

They included 29-year old Fredrick Smith, of Royston, whose occupation is listed as fast-food worker/deliveryman.

Smith and the other eight arrested were charged with violating the Computer or Electronic Pornography and Child Exploitation Prevention Act of 2007.

“Operation End Game” was a three-day proactive effort centered in Athens, GA. The operation took several months of planning.

The goal was to arrest persons who communicate with children on-line and then travel to meet them for the purpose of having sex.

Additionally, the operation targeted those that are willing to exploit children by purchasing sex with a minor.

On-line 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 having sex.

The children these predators target are both boys and girls. Since 2014, the Georgia ICAC Task Force has arrested over 130 people in similar operations.

The Georgia ICAC Task Force is comprised of 240+ local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, other related criminal justice agencies and prosecutor’s offices.