A Gainesville man faces 20 felony counts of sexual exploitation of children following an investigation by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit from February of this year.
HCSO said in a release Wednesday the unit began an investigation after receiving two cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that someone in the area had been uploading child sexual abuse material to a social media app. Investigators then identified Benjamin Lamar Gudmundson, 31, as the suspected offender in the case.
Investigators seized multiple electronic devices while conducting a search warrant on Gudmundson’s residence Tuesday. The initial search led to the discovery of 10 images of children, all under the age of 16, engaged in sexually explicit conduct, the department said.
In addition to Gudmundson’s sexual exploitation charges, he also faces 10 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and 10 counts for distributing the material. Additional charges are expected, pending completion of forensic screening of his devices.
He remains in the Hall County Jail without bond.
