Hart County Man Arrested on Felony Child Exploitation and Surveillance Charges
CANON, GA — A 45-year-old Canon resident was taken into custody on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, following a cross-state investigation into the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and unlawful surveillance. Robert Kenyon Mercer faces six felony charges after a probe spanning from North Carolina to Georgia.
The investigation was handled by the GBI’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit, working in tandem with the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (NCICACTF).
Investigation and Charges
The case began in February 2026, when the NCICACTF received five separate Cyber Tipline Reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). These reports detailed the illicit distribution of material involving minors. As investigators traced the digital evidence, the trail led them to Hart County, Georgia.
Mercer has been charged with:
- Three counts of Unlawful Surveillance
- Three counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children
Multi-Agency Task Force
Mercer was arrested and booked into the Hart County Jail. The GBI acknowledged the vital cooperation of several agencies that assisted in the multi-state effort, including:
- Hart County Sheriff’s Office
- Georgia State Patrol
- Anderson County Sheriff’s Office (South Carolina)
The GBI’s CEACC Unit, which is part of the state’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, is continuing to analyze seized digital evidence. Authorities are asking anyone with information regarding this investigation to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Athens at (706) 552-2309. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477).
