60-year-old man faces child sexual exploitation charge

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested a 60-year-old Cusseta man Tuesday on a charge of sexual exploitation of children.

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Thomas Clevenger was taken into custody in Columbus following an investigation into the possession of child sexual abuse material.

The investigation began in April after the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit received a request from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The inquiry led agents to Georgia and ultimately resulted in Clevenger’s arrest.

Following his arrest on Oct. 27, Clevenger was initially booked into the Chattahoochee County Jail and later taken to the Muscogee County Jail. The Chattahoochee County Sheriff’s Office and the Columbus Police Department assisted state agents with the operation.

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The case is part of an initiative by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which operates within the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit. Developed by the U.S. Department of Justice, the federal program addresses online predator activity and the proliferation of child sexual abuse material.

Authorities urge anyone with information regarding child exploitation cases to contact the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit at 404-270-8870. Anonymous tips can also be reported through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline at Cybertipline.org, by calling 1-800-597-TIPS, online through the GBI website, or via the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

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