A 35-year-old Opelika man already facing charges in a reported child sexual abuse case has been arrested again, this time on two counts of possession of child pornography. Sylvester Emmitt Brown was taken into custody on November 6, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, just weeks after his earlier arrest in late September connected to allegations involving a juvenile.
New Charges Follow September Arrest
According to CNAW2 News, Brown was booked on the two possession of child pornography counts in Opelika. The outlet reports the arrest came roughly six weeks after Lee County investigators first arrested Brown on September 25 in connection with a reported case of juvenile sexual abuse.
That earlier case traces back to a report that came in on September 15, when a Thomas County Sheriff’s Office investigator relayed alleged abuse, according to a notice from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. The reported incident was tied to a residence in the 200 block of Lee Road 446 in Opelika, per the sheriff’s office notice. Investigators say the probe produced evidence supporting the allegations, leading to Brown’s arrest on September 25.
Charges Span Two Counties
Out of that September arrest, Brown was charged with one count of enticing a child for immoral purposes and one count of second-degree sexual abuse, per CNAW2 News. He was held at the Lee County Detention Center at the time, according to the sheriff’s office.
A separate report from the Thomas County Times-Enterprise adds detail on the case’s cross-county path, though the outlet lists Brown’s age as 25 rather than 35 — a discrepancy from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office account that has not been resolved. The Times-Enterprise reports that Brown was first arrested by the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office on September 14 after a juvenile reported incidents occurring in both Thomas County, Georgia, and Opelika, Alabama. The paper identified the Thomas County charge as sexual battery on a minor.
Per the Times-Enterprise, Brown was then arrested by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and charged with enticing a child for immoral purposes and second-degree sexual abuse after bonding out of custody in Thomas County. The same report says Brown was being held at the Lee County Jail on a $20,000 bond as of its October 6 publication.
Sheriff’s Office Has Released Few Details on Latest Arrest
As for the November 6 arrest on possession of child pornography charges, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office has not released additional details, and has not said whether the new charges are connected to the original investigation, according to CNAW2 News. The bond status and custody details tied to the latest arrest have not been made public.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information to call (334) 749-5651 or dial 911, per CNAW2 News, which reported the story on Monday.
