NEWS FROM THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE

09/26/07

"Thirty Nine Year Old Arrested for Molesting and Sending Pornographic Images and Text to Thirteen Year Old Girl Using a Cell Phone"

On September 23^rd Donald Lee Armstrong (39), of Dahlonega, was charged with Child Molestation, Statutory Rape, Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes, Cruelty to Children (1^st Degree), Sexual Exploitation of Children, Obscene Telephone Contact with a Child, and Electronically Furnishing Obscene Material to Minors.

The investigation began when the mother of the thirteen year old female met with deputies at the Sheriff’s Office where she complained that Armstrong had sent a pornographic image to her daughter on her cell phone. An investigator, from the Special Victim’s Section, responded to the suspect’s residence on Cameron’s Corner. The investigator located and seized the suspect’s phone. On the phone the investigator discovered pornographic images of the thirteen year old, and sexually explicit text exchange between Armstrong and the thirteen year old.

Armstrong was interviewed at the Sheriff’s Office where he confessed to sending the text messages and a pornographic image to the teenager. Investigators determined Armstrong was an acquaintance of the teenager’s family and that he had been engaged in pornographic text exchange with the teenager for several months. Armstrong also admitted he had provided the cell phone to the thirteen year old.

The thirteen year old was also interviewed and disclosed she and Armstrong also had sexual intercourse at a secluded outdoor location on Camp Wahsega Rd.

The investigator obtained court orders requesting documentation of the detailed text messaging for the past few months.

As tragic as this is we hope that this will bring awareness to parents that they not only need to monitor their child’s computer activity but also phone text messaging.

 

Captain Jason Stover

Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office