Silverhill man arrested on child porn charges

Operation Southern Impact II: Alabama arrests 12 in two-day, multi-state child exploitation initiative

ALEA release
Posted 3/19/18

MONTGOMERY, Alabama – A Silverhill man was among 12 individuals arrested, and four children were rescued or identified as victims of child sexual exploitation this week during Operation …

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Silverhill man arrested on child porn charges

Operation Southern Impact II: Alabama arrests 12 in two-day, multi-state child exploitation initiative

Posted

MONTGOMERY, Alabama – A Silverhill man was among 12 individuals arrested, and four children were rescued or identified as victims of child sexual exploitation this week during Operation Southern Impact II, a coordinated initiative involving eight states across the Southeast.
According to Baldwin County Corrections Facility records, William Earl Brown Jr., whose address is listed as County Road 52 in Silverhill, was booked into the Baldwin County Jail on Wednesday, March 14, charged with seven counts of possession of child pornography, each a Class C felony. He remains in jail on a $105,000 bond.
According to a release issued Friday by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Operation Southern Impact II, which focused on individuals who sexually exploit children by using the Internet, was a joint effort consisting of 10 Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces tasked with combating the sexual exploitation of children.
Law enforcement officials spent approximately four months to plan, and for two days executed search warrants, conducted undercover operations and made arrests in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. In all, 222 law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies participated, 38 of which are in or near Alabama.
“Joining forces with all of our law enforcement partners on the Alabama ICAC Task Force and other State ICAC Task Forces emphasizes the commitment that members of the ICAC Program have and will stop at nothing to protect children from those who prey on them,” said Lt. Brooke Walker, commander of the Alabama ICAC Task Force and Alabama State Bureau of Investigation’s Special Victims Unit. “This collaboration from the dedicated men and women who fight every day to defend innocence and arrest child predators makes for a successful mission and a clear impact in this region.”

Seven additional Alabama residents were identified in the release on charges of dissemination of child pornography or possession of child pornography, or violations under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). One individual from Mississippi was reportedly arrested on charges of transmitting obscene material to a minor.
One subject was arrested by a federal agency, but information will not be released pending further investigation.
The 61 ICAC Task Forces across the nation are working cases and conducting investigative actions like this daily, and they want to reinforce to those who exploit children that ICAC Task Forces will work together to make an impact in their respective states and the region as a whole, according to the release. The cooperation among agencies and states illustrates their level of commitment to detect, arrest and prosecute anyone who preys on children.
Walker said, “Cooperation is always key in law enforcement, but it is vital we collaborate to protect children.”
Operation Southern Impact II has given members of these task forces an opportunity to share experience, information and resources across units, agencies and state lines to ensure there is no safe place to hide for criminals who would victimize the most vulnerable among us.
Created by the U.S. Department of Justice, the National ICAC Task Force Program comprises more than 4,000 local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, other related criminal justice agencies and prosecutors’ services. The program’s mission is to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in developing effective response to cyber enticement and child pornography cases. This support encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, as well as victim services, prevention and community education. It was developed in response to the increasing number of children and teenagers using the Internet, the proliferation of child pornography and the heightened online activity by predators searching for unsupervised contact with underage victims. By assisting state and local law enforcement agencies to develop effective and sustainable responses to online child victimization and child pornography, the national ICAC program delivers national resources at the local level.
The following 36 agencies participated as members of the Alabama ICAC Task Force to combine efforts for a successful operation: Alabama State Bureau of Investigation – Special Victims Unit; Alabama State Bureau of Investigation – Major Crimes Unit; Alabama State Bureau of Investigation – Alcohol Unit; Alabama Fusion Center; ALEA Tactical Team; Brewton Police Department; Orange Beach Police Department; Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office; Homeland Security Investigations – Mobile, Montgomery, Birmingham and Huntsville Jurisdictions; Enterprise Police Department; Daleville Police Department; Prattville Police Department; Montgomery Police Department; Tallassee Police Department; U.S. Marshals Service; Lanett Police Department; Opelika Police Department; Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office; Alexander City Police Department; Florence Police Department; Madison County Sheriff’s Office; Huntsville Police Department; Joint Electronic Crimes Task Force Computer Forensics Lab; Tennessee Valley Computer Regional Laboratory; Federal Bureau of Investigation – Birmingham Office; Rainbow City Police Department; Brookside Police Department; Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office; Vestavia Hills Police Department; Etowah County Sheriff’s Office; St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office; Shelby County Sheriff’s Office; Pelham Police Department; Moody Police Department; Piedmont Police Department.
Also assisting on Alabama cases: Georgia ICAC Task Force, Mississippi ICAC Task Force, Missouri ICAC Task Force and the George County (Mississippi) Sheriff’s Office.