Ellijay man arrested for child exploitation

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. – Captain Jay Baker, Director of Communications & Community Relations with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, has confirmed that the Sheriff’s Office (Sheriff Frank Reynolds) have arrested an Ellijay man on a handful of charges connected to child exploitation, molestation, and pornography today.

That man, Jimmy Lee Bowling, 68, of Ellijay, was arrested by the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit. In a press release from the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office, Capt. Baker said, “Investigators with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit arrested a 68-year-old man today at an undisclosed public location in southern Cherokee County. Jimmy Lee Bowling, of Ellijay, arrived at the location shortly after noon today to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old girl.”

While Baker did not specifically state that this came from a sting operation, he did state that Bowling came to the location where he was arrested “to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old girl.” Instead of finding a girl, Bowling met officers of the ICAC unit. These photos of Bowling’s arrest by officers and his booking photo were provided by the Sheriff’s Office.

Capt. Baker went on to tell FYN, “This was a two week long Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigation which culminated  with Bowling’s arrest today. Our investigators are dedicated to identifying and charging internet predators before they have an opportunity to harm a real child.”

According to Capt. Baker, Bowling was arrested without incident and charged with Attempted Child Molestation, Pandering, Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Obscene Internet Contact with a Minor, and Violation of the Computer Pornography and Sexual Exploitation Act.

He is currently being held at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center. According to the press release, he is being held without bond.

According to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office website, the ICAC unit is supervised by Lieutenant Garrett Carter who reports directly to the Division Commander. This unit is responsible for the investigation of child abuse, neglect, and death of persons under the age of 18, sexual offenses where either the perpetrator or victim is a juvenile, Parental Kidnapping, Juvenile Missing Persons, all aggravated assaults and/or aggravated battery involving persons under 17, robbery involving intimidation between juveniles, and runaway and unruly juveniles.