A Lula man was taken into custody for his alleged involvement in online child sex crimes.
Investigators with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force arrested Curtis Alan Haynie, 59, on Monday, November 25. According to the sheriff’s office, the charges stem from an online undercover investigation that began in September.
Investigators took Haynie into custody at HCSO Headquarters after they executed a search warrant at his residence in the 5400 block of Old Cornelia Highway. Haynie is charged with the following felony offenses:
- Grooming a child for indecent purposes
- Electronic furnishing of obscene material to a minor
- Electronic enticement of a child
According to the initial investigation, Haynie committed the crimes on September 21 and 22 when he was chatting online with an individual he thought was under the age of 16. During Monday’s search, investigators say they seized several electronic devices from Haynie’s home.
Haynie’s arrest marks the first time HCSO investigators have charged someone with grooming a child for indecent purposes. Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 993 into law in April, creating the felony offense.
The Floyd County Police Department, Grovetown Police Department, and the GBI collaborated with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office on the investigation.
HCSO Public Information Officer Derreck Booth says additional charges are possible pending forensic processing of the electronics. Haynie is being held in the Hall County Detention Center without bond.
