5th man sentenced to federal prison in child exploitation sting
A fifth man arrested in an Athens-area child exploitation sting been sentenced to federal prison, according to prosecutors.
A judge on Wednesday sentenced John Wesley Ambrose to 46 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler said Thursday in a news release.
Ambrose, 36, of Watkinsville, tried to entice a person whom he believed to be a 14-year-old boy into sexual activity in July 2019, according to an indictment obtained by AJC.com. He pleaded guilty to one count of use of facilities in interstate and foreign commerce to transmit information about a minor.
The sentencing is the latest stemming from a multi-agency child exploitation sting dubbed “Operation End Game.” The three-day operation yielded nine other arrests during the summer of 2019, officials said.
Four of the men arrested during the sting previously pleaded guilty to similar charges and received sentences. Last month, Joseph Daniel Kelly, 45, of Monroe, got nearly five years in prison with 10 years of supervised release. Frederick Lamar Smith, 29, of Royston, was sentenced to nearly four years in prison with 10 years of supervised release.
Earlier this year, Andrew Leo Schafer, 53, of Winder, and James Hughes Morriss, 50, of Dacula, were each sentenced to nearly four years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. Morriss is a former youth softball umpire.
Following their prison terms, all of the men will have to register as sex offenders.
About the Author
Asia Simone Burns is a watchdog reporter for the AJC. Burns was formerly an intern in AJC’s newsroom and now writes about crime. She is a graduate of Samford University and has previously reported for NPR and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR member station.
