Police arrest 3 for possession of child pornography in Polk County

POLK COUNTY, GA  - Police say three people have been arrested for possession of child pornography following a week long investigation by the Polk County Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division, Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit (CEACC) and the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC)

Those arrested were charged with crimes pursuant to O.C.G.A. 16-12-100(b)(8), Sexual Exploitation of Children.

Over the course of the operation, 21 digital devices were examined and 22 digital devices were seized as evidence.

The three arrests were made as a result of evidence and information obtained during the search warrants.

• Norman Layton, 35, of Rockmart has 12 counts of sexual exploitations of children.

• Joseph Davis, 23, of Cedartown has six counts of Sexual exploitations of children, one count of methamphetamine and one count of possession of tools for commission of a crime. 

• Billy S. Knight, 44, of Cedartown, was charged with one count of manufacturing marijuana, one count of possession of methamphetamine and one count of possession of tools for commission of a crime.

The Polk County Police Department would like to thank the following agencies for all their assistance during the execution of this successful operation: the Georgia Bureau of Investigations; U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Polk County Drug Task Force; Rockmart Police Department; Cedartown Police Department; and Forsyth County Sheriff's Office.

Without the assistance of all the agencies that participated in the execution of these investigations we would not have been able to conduct such a successful operation to protect the children of our community, and for that we are extremely grateful.

Additional charges may be forthcoming. Additional arrest warrants may be issued and other arrests may occur after analysis of seized digital devices.