Cybertip Leads to Arrest of Pickett County Man on Charge of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

PICKETT COUNTY – A cybertip that child sexual abuse material had been identified on a Snapchat account led to an investigation by TBI special agents with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) squad, the office of the 13^th Judicial District Attorney General, and the Pickett County Sheriff’s Office.

In October, agents received a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about a Snapchat account sending files of child sexual abuse material from June through July. During the course of the investigation, it was determined the account belonged to Rodney Griffin of Byrdstown.

On November 20th, Rodney William Griffin (DOB 05/02/1996) was taken into custody by the Pickett County Sheriff’s Office and charged with one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (over 100 images). He was booked into the Pickett County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct and not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.

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The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is an ICAC affiliate of the Tennessee ICAC Task Force. Anyone with information about these cases or other cases of online child exploitation should contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Tipline at 1-800-TBI-FIND, TipsToTBI@tbi.tn.gov, or report via the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline at CyberTipline.org.

The TBI has information about online dangers, sextortion, and common-sense tips for the public on its website, at www.tn.gov/tbi. Parents and caregivers looking for resources aimed at helping children develop online safety skills should visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s website, at www.netsmartz.org.