A man from Talking Rock, Ga. in Pickens County is facing federal charges in connection with the possession of thousands of images of child pornography.
Michael Lewis Bush, 49, was arraigned in federal court in Gainesville for producing, receiving and possessing child pornography. U.S. Attorney BJay Pak said Bush is believed to have taken some of the images himself.
"This defendant allegedly produced and collected images portraying the sexual exploitation and abuse of young children," Pak said in a prepared statement. "It is essential that we target and remove from the community those individuals who pose such a great threat to our district."
According to Pak, federal agents determined that Bush purchased child pornography online on multiple occasions between 2015 and 2018. The agents executed a search warrant at Bush's home in August 2018 and found multiple digital devices containing thousands of images and videos of child pornography. They also discovered that Bush took a series of pornographic photographs of an 11-year-old child and saved them to his computer where he retained them for years.
Bush was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 14, 2018.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Pak noted the case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children.
