THREE MEN ARRESTED FOLLOWING TBI ONLINE CHILD EXPLOITATION INVESTIGATION

THREE MEN ARRESTED FOLLOWING TBI ONLINE CHILD EXPLOITATION INVESTIGATION

MCMINNVILLE – Special agents assigned to TBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force have arrested and charged three men accused of uploading child sexual abuse material online.

TBI agents opened the investigation after receiving tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about three individuals uploading child sexual abuse material on platforms such as Dropbox and Discord. During the investigation, agents identified the individuals and, on Tuesday and Wednesday, conducted an operation to search two homes, during which agents seized a total of 44 electronic devices for further examination. They also arrested Garry Alford (DOB 3-15-1984), Johnathan Curtis (DOB 2-18-1992), and Clifton Johnston (DOB 12-22-1985) and charged each with one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Authorities subsequently booked all three men into the Warren County Jail, on bond amounts of $50,000 for Alford and Curtis, and $75,000 for Johnston.

The TBI’s Criminal Investigation Division, Drug Investigation Division, the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, McMinnville Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations assisted with the operation.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is an ICAC affiliate of the Tennessee ICAC Task Force. Anyone with information about these cases or other cases of online child exploitation should contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Tipline at 1-800-TBI-FIND, [email protected], or report via the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline at CyberTipline.org.