A Bartow County man was arrested Thursday after driving to Woodstock to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old girl for sex, Cherokee County deputies said.

Mark Maloney, 56, of Emerson, faces one count each of criminal attempt to commit child molestation, obscene internet contact with a child, sexual exploitation of a child and trafficking a person for sexual service, jail records show.

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Maloney communicated online with detectives posing as the 14-year-old girl, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Jay Baker said in a news release. He was arrested after driving to an undisclosed location in Woodstock, where he allegedly intended to meet the child for sex.

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Maloney is being held without bond at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.

In other news: 

No one was hurt

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Members of the conversion crew take a break as the main scoreboard is lowered to the floor to be worked on as the arena gets ready for the next concert at State Farm Arena, Thursday, October 2, 2025, in Atlanta. The crew was working on creating a stage for the Friday, Oct. 3 Maxwell concert. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com