4 arrested in Butts County on child exploitation charges, GBI says

BUTTS COUNTY, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) announced Tuesday that four people have been arrested on child exploitation charges.

The GBI said in a news release that an investigation began on May 23 and originated from a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

After search warrants were executed by the Butts County Sheriff’s Office and the GBI Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit, an arrest was made against 29-year-old Heather Clark, they said.

Clark was charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of children (distribution of child pornography) and one count of sexual exploitation of children (production of child pornography), a news release said.

According to the GBI, Clark traveled to another state with someone else in order to avoid arrest and conceal evidence of this crime.

52-year-old April Burnes, 31-year-old Christopher Taylor and 30-year-old Breonna Jones were also arrested on various charges, they said.

Burnes was charged with false statements and writings and party to the crime of child exploitation of children (production of child pornography). Taylor was charged with hindering apprehension of a criminal and obstruction. Jones was charged with hindering apprehension of a criminal and child molestation.

Clark and Jones are in custody in Horry County, South Carolina. They are awaiting extradition to return to Butts County, the press release read.