In a joint effort between local law enforcement and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), a Marietta man has been apprehended and charged with multiple offenses including distribution of obscene material. Matthew Clements Abbott, a 36-year-old man who was employed by the Cobb County Police Department, is facing charges that point towards a betray of the trust placed in public officers. He was taken into custody yesterday and is currently held at the Cobb County Jail, according to a GBI release.
The investigation emerged from a request by the Cobb County Police Department and quickly evolved into a collaborative probe, drawing in the expertise of the GBI Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit and the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children’s Task Force. These developments led to a search warrant for Abbott’s home, culminating in his arrest. The charges against Abbott, as listed by the GBI and outlined in their press release, include distribution of obscene material, two counts of public indecency, and a violation of oath by a public officer.
This case is a part of the broader initiative driven by the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, structured within the GBI’s CEACC Unit. The ICAC Program, under the aegis of the U.S. Department of Justice, seeks to confront the escalating threats posed by predators on the Internet as child sexual abuse material becomes more rampant, and more children and teenagers go online unsupervised.
Officials are urging anyone with information pertaining to child exploitation to step forward and contact the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit. Reports can be made by calling 404-270-8870, using the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline at CyberTipline.org, or by submitting tips anonymously through the GBI’s tip line at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be submitted online through the GBI website or via the "See Something, Send Something" mobile app.
