Haralson County Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material
HARALSON COUNTY, Georgia – A Haralson County man has been sentenced to decades in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts related to the possession of child sexual abuse material.
On Thursday, January 29, 2026, in the Superior Court of Haralson County, Stephen Scott Knight entered a guilty plea to eight counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child for possessing child sexual abuse material. He was sentenced to 40 years, with 20 years to be served in prison.
During the plea hearing, Chief Assistant District Attorney Robert Peterkin summarized the evidence tied to the eight counts, and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Investigator Sgt. Brent Duggins testified regarding the materials he personally verified during the investigation. Knight admitted in court that he knowingly possessed the illegal material.
The case began on July 11, 2024, when Sgt. Duggins received more than 40 cyber tips indicating that an individual in Haralson County was downloading child sexual abuse material. Through the investigation, Sgt. Duggins verified several files, gathered additional evidence, and obtained arrest warrants.
On August 1, 2024, deputies and investigators took Knight into custody in Buchanan, Georgia. At the same time, a search warrant was executed at his residence with assistance from multiple agencies. During the search, investigators seized electronic devices and located two firearms in Knight’s bedroom. Subsequent forensic analysis confirmed more than 1,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material. Investigators also located a 30-terabyte hard drive containing millions of suspected files, which was not fully processed due to the overwhelming volume of confirmed evidence already obtained.
The firearms were turned over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as Knight was already a convicted felon.
“This case involved disturbing evidence and required extensive work by investigators,” said Haralson County Sheriff Stacy Williams. “We appreciate the dedication of Sgt. Duggins and all agencies involved, as well as the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, for their commitment to ensuring justice. Protecting children and holding offenders accountable remains a top priority.”
