ANDERSON, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said numerous child predators were charged after an undercover online chat operation unveiled disturbing activity of individuals attempting to exploit children online.
The sheriff’s office said “Operation Hightower” resulted in more than 15 suspects identified that were here locally and reached to state lines in Oklahoma and Mississippi. 11 of those people were officially arrested and charged.
According to Sheriff Chad McBride, suspects captured in the operation traveled to a location where they believed they were going to have sexual intercourse with a child. Here, detectives were waiting while undercover.
One of the suspects, 40-year-old Jeffrey Miles of Mississippi, was caught after he agreed to meet a parent and her four-year-old daughter and offered to pay to sexually assault the girl at a predetermined location, officials said.
Here’s a full list of those that were charged:
| Suspect name | Age | Hometown | Charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donald Cutshaw | 50 | Greenville, SC | Criminal solicitation of a minor (2 counts) Dissemination, procuring or promoting obscenity (2 counts) Sexual exploitation of a minor, 1st degree |
| Timothy Dickson | 51 | Laurens, SC | Criminal solicitation of a minor (5 counts) Dissemination, procuring or promoting obscenity Sexual exploitation of a minor, 2nd degree |
| Patrick Edwards | 30 | Saluda, NC | Dissemination of obscene material Sexual exploitation of a minor, 1st degree |
| Jerry Fraizer IV | 27 | Anderson, SC | Criminal solicitation of a minor Criminal sexual conduct with a minor or attempt – 2nd Degree |
| Karl Green | 42 | Seneca, SC | (5 counts) Sexual exploitation of a minor, 2nd degree |
| Wilbur Harris | 34 | Anderson, SC | Criminal solicitation of a minor Sexual exploitation of a minor, 1st degree Criminal sexual conduct with a minor or attempt – 2nd Degree |
| Kris Johnson | 39 | Liberty, SC | Criminal solicitation of a minor Criminal sexual conduct with a minor or attempt – 2nd Degree |
| Timothy Torongeau | 38 | Travelers Rest, SC | Criminal solicitation of a minor |
| Jeffery Miles | 40 | Louisville, MS | Sexual exploitation of a minor, 2nd degree |
| Victor Pressley | 67 | Belton, SC | Criminal solicitation of a minor Dissemination of obscene material to a person under 18 years of age |
| Jeffery Smith | 67 | Greer, SC | (2 counts) Prompting the prostitution of a minor Criminal sexual conduct with a minor or attempt, 1st degree Criminal sexual conduct with a minor or attempt, 2nd degree |
In total, officials said more than 40 charges were made.
The sheriff’s office worked in collaboration with Anderson City Police Department, Charleston County Sheriff’ s Office, Greenville County Sheriff’ s Office, South Carolina Department of Corrections, Abbeville City Police, U.S. Secret Service, Homeland Security, FBI and the South Carolina Attorney General’ s Office.
Sheriff McBride pointed out the importance of internet safety and “how quickly one chatroom can serve as a breeding ground for sexual abuse as offenders corner and groom children”.
“Protecting our children from online predators requires constant vigilance, open communication, and proactive efforts by families, communities, and law enforcement to ensure their safety in digital spaces,” the sheriff said.
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