Operation Partnership leads to arrests

HARALSON COUNTY, Ga. – On July 11, 2024, the Haralson County Sheriff’s Office received information from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations about the download of CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material).

In this case, Sgt. Brent Duggins, the Crimes Against Children Specialist, received over 40 cybertips on a subject that lived in Haralson County that was downloading this illegal material.

During this investigation, Sgt. Duggins verified a few of the files were in fact CSAM and collected further evidence of the individual who was downloading these images/videos.

While working on this case, Sgt. Jason Bowman received information from the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Agency (ATF) that they had received a tip that this same individual had illegal firearms. The subject who was under investigation is a convicted felon.

On Thursday, August 1, 2024, Deputies, members of the Crime Suppression Unit and Investigators intercepted and took Stephen Knight into custody on his warrants.

Simultaneously, Deputies, members of the Crime Suppression Unit, the Northwest GA Drug Task Force, Investigators and ATF served a search warrant at Knight’s home, located in Buchanan, GA.

During that search warrant, electronic devices were taken, and two firearms were found in Knight’s bedroom. The case then expanded over to Gadsden, Alabama, where Knight owned property.

A search warrant was executed at that property by the ATF and Alabama Law Enforcement Agencies where multiple illegal firearms and other items were found.

Stephen Scott Knight, a 52-year-old W/M out of Buchanan, GA is now facing five charges of Computer Pornography (Sexual Exploitation of Child) and one count of Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon.

Additional charges will be taken from other jurisdictions and agencies involved.

“This case involved multiple jurisdictions and a lot of moving parts. It took a great amount of teamwork, and I could not be prouder of everyone that was involved in this case,” states Sheriff Stacy Williams. “Child cases of any type are generally some of the worst that investigators see, a child pornography case of this magnitude takes a lot of work behind the scenes. I appreciate Sgt. Duggins and the job he has done, and I appreciate all of the other agencies that have worked so hard to get this individual in custody and get a lot of illegal guns off of the streets.”

We would like to thank the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit (CEACCU), Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Alabama State Patrol, Gadsden PD, Union County Sheriff’s Office (GA) and the Northwest Georgia Drug Task Force for their steadfast assistance.