John Hunter Blanton and Brian Spargo (Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office)
MUSCOGEE COUNTY, Ga. - A multi-agency operation led to the arrest of two men wanted for separate child sex crimes, authorities said.
Muscogee County child exploitation arrests
What we know:
The Muscogee County Sheriff's Office Collaborative Intelligence Group worked with regional federal and state partners to track down and arrest two wanted men.
Authorities executed a search warrant in Macon County, Alabama, to arrest John Hunter Blanton on multiple bench warrants out of Muscogee County. Those warrants include two counts of aggravated child molestation, child molestation, statutory rape and enticing a child for indecent purposes, according to the sheriff's office.
Blanton was taken into custody without incident and is being held while awaiting extradition back to Muscogee County.
In a separate action, investigators arrested Brian Spargo in Muscogee County on a felony warrant from the Phenix City Police Department in Alabama.
Spargo was wanted for first-degree sodomy in connection to an ongoing case involving the sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12, the sheriff's office said.
He was taken to the Muscogee County Jail and is waiting for extradition to Russell County, Alabama.
Ongoing Georgia-Alabama sex crime investigation
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet confirmed the specific dates or locations where the alleged crimes took place. It remains unclear when Blanton and Spargo will face their first court appearances. Authorities have not released details regarding how long Blanton had been a fugitive in Alabama before his capture.
Sheriff vows protection for local children
What they're saying:
"We won't stop until the criminals do!" Sheriff Greg Countryman said in a statement. "The Muscogee County Sheriff's Office will not tolerate crimes of this nature against our children. We remain committed to locating and arresting wanted offenders to ensure the safety of those in our community."
Future charges pending in child sex abuse cases
Both cases remain under active investigation, according to the sheriff's office. Authorities noted that additional charges may be pending against the suspects as the investigation continues.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office, who explained how investigators caught the suspects, as well as statements from Sheriff Greg Countryman.