Two Muscogee County Men Charged with the Sexual Exploitation of Children

Columbus, GA (September 2, 2022) – On Wednesday, August 31, 2022, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit executed two unrelated search warrants in Columbus, GA. Arrested at the two homes were Kevin Perry, age 38, and Christopher Hovey, age 32, both of Columbus. Perry was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of children and Hovey was charged with six counts of sexual exploitation of children.

The GBI CEACC Unit began an investigation into both men’s online activity after receiving cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding the possible online possession of child sexual abuse material. This investigation led to search warrants of the homes and subsequent criminal charges. The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the search warrants and arrests. Both men were taken to the Muscogee County Jail.

This investigation is part of the ongoing effort by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, housed within the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit, to identify those involved in the trade of child sexual abuse material. The ICAC Program, created by the U.S. Department of Justice, was developed in response to the increasing number of children and teenagers using the Internet, the proliferation of child sexual abuse material, and the heightened online activity by predators searching for unsupervised contact with underage victims.

Anyone with information about other cases of child exploitation is asked to contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit at 404-270-8870. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS(8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.