A 37-year-old LaGrange man is behind bars after investigators say an online tip flagged alleged child sexual-assault material tied to his devices. Jeremy Collins was arrested Tuesday and is facing two felony counts of sexual exploitation of children, according to the Troup County Sheriff’s Office.
Arrest and charges
The Troup County Sheriff’s Office detailed the case in a news release, and FOX 5 Atlanta reported that Collins was charged after a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children kicked off the investigation. Officials say he was taken into custody without incident.
Authorities have not publicly described the specific child sexual-assault material they say they seized, and the sheriff’s office statement did not indicate whether additional charges could follow.
Custody and court status
Jail records reviewed by WSB‑TV show Collins is being held in the Troup County Jail without bond. A court date has not yet been listed, and it remains unclear from public records whether he has hired an attorney, according to local records and the sheriff’s office.
How the tip reached investigators
Investigators say the probe started with a CyberTip submitted to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children CyberTipline, a national clearinghouse that routes suspected child-exploitation reports to law enforcement.
The referral was handled by the Georgia ICAC Task Force, which is housed in the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit. According to the task force’s website, the unit provides digital-forensics work and investigative backup to local agencies like the Troup County Sheriff’s Office.
Legal implications
Under Georgia law, sexual exploitation of children covers possession, production or distribution of child sexual-abuse material and is classified as a felony offense. Convicted offenders can face prison time and sex-offender registration requirements, according to state law as published by Justia.
Troup County authorities and the Georgia ICAC Task Force have not released further details about the case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff’s office or submit a report to the CyberTipline at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. A booking photo of Collins was included with law-enforcement media materials, according to local reporting.
