CITIZEN STAFF REPORT

GRETHEL — In a crackdown on internet crimes, Prestonsburg Police Department Detective Brad Caldwell arrested a Floyd County man suspected in a child pornography case.

Caldwell, who has specialized training in internet crimes against children, acted on a tip received Dec. 5 from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The information indicated that a subscriber in Floyd County was actively involved in viewing, downloading and uploading child pornography.

Acting on this tip, Floyd District Judge Tyler Green authorized a search warrant for the subscriber’s information. This warrant led police to identify Avery Newsome, a 38-year-old resident of Grethel, as the suspect.

On Dec. 27, a team comprising PPD detectives, Floyd County Sheriff’s deputies, and the Kentucky State Police executed a search warrant at Newsome’s residence. The search uncovered at least 3,500 files suspected to contain child pornography.

Police arrested Newsome at his home, where he reportedly offered a full confession to his crimes. He was lodged in the Floyd County Jail. He faces three counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor under 12 years old. These charges are pending a full forensic analysis of the evidence seized from his home.