The GBI arrested and charged a Martin man with sexual exploitation of children after an investigation into his online activities, the GBI says. Agents charged 32-year-old Joshua Buckley with 11 counts.
In December 2024, the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit began investigating Buckley. The probe was prompted by a tip from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) about his possible online possession and distribution of child sex abuse material.
Authorities took Buckley into custody after executing a search warrant at his home. Multiple law enforcement agencies assisted with the search, including HCSO, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit, the GBI Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO), and the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Athens.
Buckley, a registered sex offender, was booked into the Franklin County Jail. The GBI’s online sex offender registry shows he was convicted of a similar charge in South Carolina in June of last year.
Report child sex crimes
Anyone with information about child exploitation cases is asked to contact the GBI CEACC Unit at 404-270-8870 or report it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline at Cybertipline.org.
Anonymous tips may also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), using the GBI online tipline, or downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
