A monthlong operation targeting online child predators in Hall County resulted in 10 arrests, including a college police officer, the sheriff’s office said Wednesday.
In the sting dubbed “Operation Good Shepherd,” undercover deputies targeted adults who believed they were communicating with minors online, Hall County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Derreck Booth said.
Beginning in late October, the investigators posed as children and had sexually charged conversations with the suspects on social media platforms and through text messages, authorities said.
Those arrested range in age from 24 to 47 and live throughout the state, the sheriff’s office said in its news release. According to investigators, their offenses include offering children money for sexual acts, sending lewd photographs and having inappropriate sexual conversations.
Jason Noel Lingerfelt, 47, of Cleveland, Ga., was arrested while at work at the University of North Georgia and resigned immediately, the university said in a statement.
“The charges against Mr. Lingerfelt are inconsistent with the university’s community values and disturbing to us all, and UNG is cooperating fully with our law enforcement partners as they conclude their investigation,” the statement said.
Lingerfelt is charged with four counts of enticing a child online, records show.
The suspects were arrested between last Thursday and Wednesday, deputies said, adding that the operation was conducted with the help of the GBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Floyd County Police Department.
“I’m very proud of the efforts of our own Criminal Investigations Division in heading up and executing this operation,” Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said in a statement. “I’m confident the hard work of our team and partner agencies in this effort will make the community safer for our children.”
Others arrested in the operation include:
• Patrick C. Reese, 32, of Flowery Branch. Reese is charged with sexual exploitation of children and aggravated child molestation/criminal attempt.
• Alan Alberto Rojas, 24, of Lilburn. Rojas is charged with child molestation/criminal attempt, aggravated child molestation/criminal attempt, furnishing obscene material to a minor, enticing a child online and human trafficking;
• Cynthia Lynn Michelle Lloyd, 25, of Gainesville. Lloyd is charged with prostitution.
• Patricia Erica Burt, 37, of Cumming. She is charged with prostitution and human trafficking;
• Michael Ryan Jewell, 35, of Buford. He is charged with sexual exploitation of children;
• Christopher Alan Hoover, 33, of Jasper. Hoover is charged with five counts of enticing a child online, sexual exploitation of children and pandering by compulsion, jail records show;
• Colt David Clemmer, 33, of Talmo. He is charged with sexual exploitation of children;
• Matthew David Ingram, 34, of Gainesville. Ingram is charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of children;
• William David Gowdy, 40, of Cumming. He faces three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of electronic enticement of a minor.
Authorities said each case is still being investigated and that additional charges are possible.
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