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Paulding County search uncovers 114 illegal images on tablet
A Paulding County man faces charges after a state agency tip led local investigators to uncover scores of explicit images of children on his personal electronics, authorities said.
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - A Paulding County man is behind bars after a fast-moving state and local investigation uncovered more than 100 explicit images of children on his personal devices.
What we know:
The investigation into Charles Shoop began when the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) received an initial cyber tip. GBI analysts passed the information to the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, allowing local investigators to quickly secure a search warrant for Shoop's digital devices.
During the search, investigators located a tablet belonging to Shoop. On the device, authorities discovered that Shoop had been sending explicit files to himself. In total, investigators recovered 114 images depicting children.
According to Jordan Yuodis, the Chief Communications Officer for the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, Shoop allegedly alluded to searching for media featuring individuals who were barely of legal age. However, investigators found that many of the children depicted in the recovered files were much younger, matching the exact ages of the children currently living in Shoop’s own home.
Shoop was booked into the local detention facility and is being held on a $9,000 bond. Due to the high-risk nature of the findings and the presence of children inside the suspect's home, the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) has been called in to investigate.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not publicly released Shoop's exact age, nor have they specified his exact relationship to the children who were living inside the residence.
Officials have also not detailed how long the illegal files had been downloaded or shared across his personal network prior to the GBI intervention.
What you can do:
The Paulding County Sheriff's Office issued a stern warning to internet users, emphasizing that digital borders will not shield criminals from tracking tools. Officials remind parents to routinely check and monitor all internet-connected devices accessible to children inside their homes. Anyone with information concerning the exploitation of minors is urged to submit an anonymous tip directly to the GBI or local law enforcement.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from official press statements provided by Paulding County Sheriff's Office Chief Communications Officer Jordan Yuodis and public booking records.