Sheriff: Officer charged with having nude photos of minors

VALDOSTA, Ga. (AP) - A Georgia police officer was arrested for possessing nude photos of underage people, authorities said.

Valdosta Police Lt. Jeremyah “J.B.” Jones was charged last week with one count of child exploitation and was later fired from the department, police Chief Leslie Manahan told news outlets Monday.

Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk said a social media account was brought to their attention by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which prompted an investigation into Jones.

Manahan said Jones was placed on administrative leave on April 3. The sheriff’s office obtained an arrest warrant for Jones on April 14.

Jones had been a traffic unit supervisor sergeant before he was promoted to lieutenant in March. He was with the department for 19 years.

Manahan said Jones was “well-known” throughout the community and his actions weren’t a reflection of the department.

It’s unclear whether Jones had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.