Muscogee County man arrested for sexual exploitation of children

MUSCOGEE COUNTY, Ga. - A Muscogee County man, identified as Gabriel Hicks, age 23, has been arrested and charged with four counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children. 

The arrest was made by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit on March 27 in Columbus. 

The investigation into Hicks' online activities was initiated by the GBI CEACC Unit, leading to a search warrant executed at his residence with the assistance of the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team. Following the search, Hicks was taken into custody and transported to the Muscogee County Jail.

This arrest is part of the ongoing efforts of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which operates under the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit. The ICAC Program, established by the U.S. Department of Justice, aims to combat the dissemination of child sexual abuse material and prevent online predators from exploiting minors.

Individuals with information regarding other instances of child exploitation are urged to contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit at 404-270-8870 or make a report via the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline at CyberTipline.org.