Stephen Scott Knight (Haralson County Sheriff's Office)
HARALSON COUNTY, Ga. - A Haralson County man will spend the next two decades behind bars after pleading guilty Thursday to multiple counts of possessing child sexual abuse material.
What we know:
Stephen Scott Knight entered the guilty plea in Haralson County Superior Court to eight counts of sexual exploitation of a child. He admitted to possessing the illegal material as part of the plea.
The case began in July 2024, when Sgt. Brent Duggins, an investigator with Internet Crimes Against Children, received more than 40 cyber tips involving a subject in Haralson County downloading illegal content. Investigators ultimately verified more than 1,000 videos and photos as child sexual abuse material, according to Chief Assistant District Attorney Robert Peterkin.
Knight was taken into custody on Aug. 1, 2024. As deputies and investigators intercepted him, a team that included the Northwest Georgia Drug Task Force and the ATF served a search warrant at his home in Buchanan. Investigators seized electronic devices and discovered two firearms in Knight’s bedroom. Because Knight was already a convicted felon, the ATF took possession of the firearms for a separate case.
What they're saying:
Peterkin said investigators also recovered a 30-terabyte hard drive containing millions of suspected files. Authorities did not fully process the drive because of what they described as the "overwhelming evidence" already identified. During the plea hearing, Peterkin read descriptions of the eight videos tied to the charges, and Duggins testified about the files he personally verified during the investigation.
"I appreciate the hard work that Sgt. Duggins put into this very difficult case," Sheriff Stacy Williams said in a statement. "As I have said in the past, these cases are very difficult, in part due to the horrendous images and videos that investigators have to see and verify."
Williams credited the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office and multiple law enforcement agencies for their role in the prosecution.
"We will always work to protect children and make sure those that harm children are prosecuted to the fullest extent," Williams said.
What we don't know:
No word on when Knight’s other case will take place.
What's next:
Knight was sentenced to 40 years in prison, with 20 to serve.
The Source: The details and quotes in this article were provided by the Haralson County Sheriff's Office.