A Hall County Sheriff's office investigation into an alleged battery incident late last year resulted in a Gainesville man facing more charges - but this time, for sexual exploitation of children.
Leonel Engelbert Leal, 27, was arrested Monday on the new charges and he remains in the Hall County Jail as of Tuesday, according to information from Hall County Sheriff's Spokesman Derreck Booth.
Booth said investigators obtained a search warrant for Leal's cell phone in late December 2019. Leal had been accused of aggravated battery on December 12 at an address on Del Rio Drive. Investigators wanted the phone because it was thought Leal had recorded the battery incident on the device.
During the forensic investigation, investigators found three videos depicting a minor engaged in sexually explicitly acts on the cell phone, Booth said. He said the forensic processing had just recently been completed.
In the previous incident, Leal was released from jail on a $5,700 bond on December 13. He was arrested the second time March 23 but remains in jail.
Booth said the case remains under investigation.
Wednesday
April 24th, 2024
1:42AM
