A Cobb County police officer was arrested Thursday after finding himself at the center of a child exploitation case, authorities said.
Matthew Clements Abbott, 36, is facing charges of distribution of obscene material, two counts of public indecency and violation of oath by a public officer, according to the GBI and Cobb police. He was booked into the Cobb jail Thursday morning and remains there.
“The officer has been relieved of duty, and we are cooperating fully with investigators to ensure accountability,” the police department said.
Cobb police said they requested the GBI to open a criminal investigation into the officer after being notified by the Utah Attorney General’s Office that Abbott had been identified during a separate investigation. A search warrant was executed at the officer’s home following an investigation with the assistance of Cobb police and the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the GBI said.
According to the state agency, the investigation is part of an ongoing effort by the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force — part of the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit — to identify those involved in the trade of child sexual abuse material.
The exact circumstances of the investigation were not released.
Interim Cobb police Chief Dan Ferrell said the department has also opened an internal investigation.
“The people of Cobb County expect and deserve officers who uphold the law and conduct themselves with integrity, both on and off duty,” Ferrell said. “The allegations in this case are extremely disturbing and do not reflect the values of our department.”
An Atlanta police officer was also arrested Thursday after a massage therapist alleged he sexually assaulted her and then took back the money he’d paid her for their appointment, officials said.
Muhammad Muhammad was arrested at Atlanta police headquarters on charges of rape and false imprisonment. He has since been fired from the department.
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