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Gwinnett police officer one of 4 arrested in child sexual exploitation case

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County police officer was one of four people arrested on child sexual exploitation charges after a GBI investigation in Butts County.

Investigators said they executed numerous search warrants in Butts County in May, which led to the discovery that Heather Clark was producing and distributing child sexual abuse materials.

Agents said Clark, with the assistance of Christopher Taylor and Breonna Jones, traveled to another state to avoid arrest and conceal evidence of the crime.

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Jones had worked for the Gwinnett County Police Department since 2017.

Jones was arrested on May 23 and subsequently fired from the police department.

Taylor and Clark were arrested on May 26 in Horry County, South Carolina.

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April Burns was also arrested in relation to the case, though it’s unclear when.

Clark, 29, was charged with three counts of distributing child pornography and one count of production of child pornography

Jones, 30, was charged with hindering apprehension of a criminal and child molestation.

Taylor, 31, has been charged with hindering the apprehension of a criminal and obstruction.

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Burns, 52, was charged with false statements and writings and party to the crime of production of child pornography.

According to the Gwinnett County Police Department, Jones served in the military from 2021 to 2023 and then returned to the police department this year.

The Internal Affairs Unit took possession of Jones’s firearm, badge, patrol car, uniform, ballistic vest, police computer, and all other county-issued police equipment.