Griffin man arrested on 15 child pornography charges

STAFF REPORT :::

A criminal investigation that began in November 2017 has resulted in the arrest of Gregory C. Byard on charges of child pornography.

According to a press release issued by Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix, his agency has during the past month been working cooperatively with investigators from the United States Department of Homeland Security, which Dix said was working to gather information regarding child pornography being distributed to and by persons in Spalding County.

Authorities say the investigation reached a turning point on March 22, when agents of the SCSO Special Operations Unit, Criminal Investigation Division and Warrant Division, along with deputies of the Uniform Patrol Division, with the assistance of Homeland Security agents, executed a search warrant at a West McIntosh Road location.

Officials say computers and electronic devices belonging to the 57-year-old Byard were seized as a result.

Dix reported a preliminary search of the devices conducted by Department of Homeland Security agents specializing in computer forensics uncovered evidence of child pornography.

He said during that brief onsite preview of computer hard drives, fifteen images of child pornography were located.

Two computers and a cellphone were seized for further investigatory purposes, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Byard was taken into custody and has been charged with fifteen (15) counts of possession of child pornography.

He is currently being held in the Spalding County Jail.

“It has not been determined in this ongoing investigation if any of the children depicted in the images are residents of the Spalding County or Griffin area,” Dix said. “This type of filth is just sickening. These children are victims of this perversion and we are going to do all we can to make sure those responsible for doing this pay the highest price possible. This further drives home why we all need to be more observant and do all we can do to protect our children. Please be aware and closely monitor what they are doing.”