COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga — Two Georgia men were arrested this week and charged with the sexual exploitation of children, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Taylor Shellito, 34, and Joshua Barnhill, 40, of Columbia County, Georgia, were arrested on Wednesday by the GBI Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit.
The two arrests are unrelated.
Both arrests were a result of cyber reports received by the GBI from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding both men’s possession of child sexual abuse material.
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These investigations led to search warrants at the homes of Barnhill and Shellito by the GBI.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office assisted the GBI in these search warrants.
Barnhill was arrested and charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of children. Shellito was arrested and charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of children.
Both men were taken to the Columbia County Jail upon arrest.
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This investigation is part of the ongoing effort by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, housed within the GBI CEACC’s Unit, to identify those involved in the child pornography trade.
Anyone with information about other child exploitation cases is asked to contact the GBI CEACC at 404-270-8870. Tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS(8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
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