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Man used mobile apps to convince teen girls to send nude photos, police say

COVINGTON, Ga. — Investigators say a sexual predator who was preying on children in Newton County -- and as far away as Canada -- is in jail.

But investigators believe there are more victims out there.

Almost every teen has access to a cellphone. But do parents really know who their children are talking to online?

The parents of a 14-year-old in Covington recently found out the hard way.

"They had discovered some very disturbing material being exchanged between their child and what we later learned to be a 37-year-old man pretending to be a teenager himself," said Covington police Capt. Ken Malcom.

Malcom told Channel 2's Christian Jennings that the Covington incident happened in May. Police soon learned the man they were looking for was Nathan Potter.

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Detectives say he was using apps like Sketch, My Pet, and a popular gaming app called Discord to find his victims.

"(He was) asking for photos, sending photos, very lewd comments, horrific language he used with a child. Very sick conversations," Malcom said.

Investigators were able to figure out that Potter was living at a motel in Punta Gorda, Florida.

"We began communicating with officials there, along with officials in Ontario, Canada, that also had charges, potential charges, against our suspect," Malcom said.

Deputies arrested him in Florida last week.

"We just have to be vigilant watching over our children, especially if they're involved in any type of internet communications with anyone. You never know if that person they're communicating with is a sexual predator," Malcom said.

For parents, there's even an app that can help you track your child's social media activity, texts and emails called Bark.

It alerts parents if it detects dangerous activity.