A former deputy from the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office has been dismissed and taken into custody following a federal child exploitation investigation. According to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, Steven Bunte, who had been with the office for around five years, was arrested at his Gordon County home by federal authorities, with Cherokee officials on-hand to formally relieve him of his duties. As reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, Bunte's role at the Sheriff’s Office was within the Adult Detention Center prior to his termination.
Further details surrounding the arrest arrived from 11Alive, indicating that Bunte, aged 40, faces five counts of child porn and child exploitation based on Gordon County Jail records. Amid the ongoing federal probe, authorities have kept tight-lipped on the specifics of the allegations against the former deputy. Charged with maintaining decorum, the Sheriff's Office expressed that no further information could be divulged at this time regarding the investigation.
The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office emphasized their commitment to transparency by making the public aware of the case's development despite the constraints imposed by the ongoing federal investigation. As the legal process unfolds, Bunte remains in the custody of the Gordon County Jail, awaiting the progression of the federal investigation.
