4 Clayton County residents arrested
by Robin Kemp
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says seven people have been arrested and charged for their alleged roles in a child sexual abuse ring, based on “numerous cybertips” from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The two-month-long operation was a coordinated effort between the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit and Special Enforcement Team (SET).
Six suspects were charged with possessing and distributing child pornography under the Computer Pornography and Child Exploitation Prevention Act of 2007. One of them was also charged with illegal drug possession. A seventh suspect was charged with illegal drug possession only.
One suspect allegedly had been chatting online with children as young as nine years old, the GBI said.
Over four days, investigators executed ten search warrants, “knock and talks,” interviews, data and image analysis, digital forensic processing, and arrests. Officers also previewed 101 digital devices, including 33 cell phones, and seized at least 17 devices.
During the effort, ten search warrants were executed. During those search warrants 101 digital devices were previewed by GBI Digital Forensic Investigators and at least 17 of those digital devices were seized as evidence. Thirty-three of the digital devices previewed were mobile phones. Investigators who work child exploitation investigations are increasingly seeing more mobile phones as the main instrument by which predators seek out child sexual abuse material and communicate with others who are like minded. They are also increasingly using mobile devices to contact children online.
Four of the suspects charged are from Clayton County. The others are from East Point, Porterdale, and Social Circle. All are presumed innocent until and unless convicted in a court of law.
They are:
- William Anderson, 55, Porterdale, butcher (also booked on drug charges) (Newton County Jail)
- Tanita Babb, 21, Hampton, food service worker (booked on illegal drug charges only) (Clayton County Jail)
- William Calvin Babb, 20, Hampton, food service worker (Clayton County Jail)
- Earon Everett, 42, Jonesboro, security guard (Clayton County Jail)
- David Hawkins, Sr., 57, Social Circle, industrial mechanic (Newton County Jail)
- William Tornez Lucena, 20, East Point, food service worker (Fulton County Jail)
- Julio Cesar Rangal-Caston, 33, Riverdale, unemployed (Clayton County Jail)
Clayton County, Forest Park, Riverdale, East Point, and Porterdale Police assisted in the bust, along with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office.
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