Athens Man Arrested Following ICAC Investigation into Online Child Exploitation

ATHENS, GA — A 39-year-old Athens resident is in custody following a specialized investigation into the possession and distribution of illegal digital material. Timothy Lee Randles was arrested on April 16, 2026, and faces a charge of Sexual Exploitation of Children after local, state, and federal authorities tracked his online activity.

The investigation was spearheaded by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit, which began its probe in March 2026. The initial lead came from a Cyber Tipline Report issued by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding the possible online possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. To identify the suspect and secure the arrest, local detectives collaborated closely with agents from both the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

While an arrest has been made, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department emphasized that this remains an active and ongoing investigation. Detectives are currently working to determine the full scope of the online activity.

Authorities are asking anyone with information relevant to the case to contact Detective Shapland at 762-400-7198 or via email at Dara.Shapland@accgov.com. For those who wish to report other instances of child exploitation, tips can be submitted anonymously to the GBI CEACC Unit at 404-270-8870 or through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline at Cybertipline.org.