FLOYD COUNTY, Ga. — A child sex sting by the Floyd County police, Georgia Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies has landed six men, including an elementary school teacher, in jail.

Police say “Operation Safe Christmas” ended with six men between the ages of 27 and 46 in handcuffs.

During the operation, which spanned three days beginning Wednesday, December 15, investigators compiled more than 200 messages on various social media and internet platforms with people they believed to be minors. In many of those conversations, which were initiated by the suspects, the conversation was directed toward sex.

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In some of those cases, investigators say the suspects either exposed the person they believed to be a minor to pornography or asked them to take nude or pornographic photos of themselves.

“The goal of “Operation Safe Christmas” was to arrest persons who communicate with children on-line and then travel to meet them for the purpose of having sex. On-line child predators visit chat rooms and websites on the internet, find children, begin conversations with them, introduce sexual content and arrange a meeting with the children for the purpose of committing sexual acts with children under the age of 16,” police said in a release.

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The suspects arrested include:

• Jeremy Bowman, a 44-year-old elementary school teacher - charged with sexual exploitation of children, obscene internet contact with a child, criminal attempt to commit a felony (aggravated child molestation)
• Jimmy Bowen, a 46-year-old general laborer - charged with electronically furnishing obscene material to a minor, obscene internet contact with a child, sexually explicit conduct of minor, criminal attempt to commit a felony (aggravated child molestation)
• Jeovani Ortega, a 31-year-old construction worker - charged with obscene internet contact with a child, criminal attempt to commit a felony (aggravated child molestation)
• Jeff White, a 27-year-old construction worker - charged with electronically furnishing obscene material to a minor, obscene internet contact with a child, sexual exploitation of children, aggravated assault on officer in performance of duties, obstruction of an officer, interference with government property, simple assault, willful obstruction of law enforcement officers, reckless conduct
• Norman Gentry, 31 years old and unemployed - charged with obscene internet contact with a child, use computer service to seduce solicit, lure or entice to commit illegal act, criminal attempt to commit a felony (aggravated child molestation), purchase, possession, manufacture, distribution, or sale of marijuana
• Adam Broadrick, 40 years old and unemployed - charged with sexual exploitation of children, obscene internet contact with a child, criminal attempt to commit a felony (aggravated child molestation), willful obstruction of law enforcement

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Police say additional arrests and charges could be coming in the future.

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