Man arrested after social media posts containing sexually explicit child content, sheriff says | News

TIPTON COUNTY, Tenn. – A man was arrested after posting sexually explicit content involving children on social media, according to Tipton County Sheriff Shannon Beasley.

Beasley said detectives executed a search warrant at the home of 24-year-old James Owen III around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10. Beasley said authorities received a cyber tip from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force on May 13 that sexually explicit material depicting children had been posted on social media.

Investigators identified Owen as the owner of the device used to post the material. Several electronic devices were taken from the home and are being examined for additional explicit material, Beasley said.

“Thanks to the diligent work of our investigators and partners on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, another child predator is behind bars. There is no place in our county for those who commit crimes against children other than the Tipton County Jail. They may think they can hide behind technology and prey on defenseless children, but this case and others like it prove that is not possible,” Beasley said in a press release.

Owen was held on $100,000 bail and remained in jail as of July 11.

Beasley urged anyone with information about Owen or the content he allegedly posted to call the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division at 901-475-3300.