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Jones County deputy arrested and fired for sexual exploitation of children

Sheriff Reece posted on Facebook and announced that one of his deputies had been arrested on Thursday.

JONES COUNTY, Ga. — Update, 1:10 p.m. April 14

In a release by the GBI, they said their Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit, with the assistance of the Jones County Sheriff’s Office and the GBI Milledgeville Regional Investigative Office, conducted a search of Harden's home in Jones county.

There they found electronic devices containing child sex abuse material. 

The investigation began after the CEACC unit got a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 

Harden has been charged with 2 counts Sexual Exploitation of Children (Possession of Child Pornography) and two counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children (Distribution of Child Pornography). 

Harden was taken to the Jackson County Jail.

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A Jones County deputy has been arrested and charged with the Sexual Exploitation of Children according to a post on Facebook.

On Thursday, Sheriff Reese posted to Facebook that one of his deputies had been arrested and fired.

He said Deputy Kevin Harden, who had been with the Sheriff's Office since 2017, was taken into custody.

Reese said Harden had broken his oath, and that he was "disgusted by this behavior."

He went on to say he wanted to 'convey [his] prayers to any child or parent who have been victims of Sexual Exploitation."

Sheriff Reese's full statement can be found in the post below:

This morning I had the distinct duty to fulfill an oath I initially took over 42 years ago by firing and subsequently...

Posted by Jones County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, April 13, 2023

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