WOODSTOCK, Ga.  — A Dawsonville man is one of six people arrested during an undercover child sting that targeted online sexual predators. The arrests are the result of a three-day investigation conducted by Woodstock police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Jason Bryan Major, 33, of Dawsonville, faces charges of attempting to solicit sex from minors along with Robert Jones, 37, of Atlanta; Garrett Hick, 21, of Atlanta; Bryan Gomez, 24, of Canton; and Mark Shin, 38, of Newnan.

David Nelson, 63, of Gadsden AL was arrested on warrants for computer/electronic pornography, child exploitation and criminal attempt to commit child molestation. A seventh individual who has not been identified is being sought on active warrants.

The men believed they were communicating online with girls under the age of 16, according to a Facebook post by Brittany Page, police spokeswoman. The men arrived at various locations to meet the girls, but investigators were waiting instead.

Page said a sixth man, David Nelson, 63, of Gadsden, Ala. was arrested and charged with computer pornography, child exploitation and criminal attempt to commit child molestation, Page said.

Arrested on scene:

Jason Bryan Major, 33, of Dawsonville, charged with child exploitation, criminal attempt to commit child molestation, criminal attempt to commit sodomy and criminal attempt to entice a child for indecent purposes;

Robert Jones, 37, of Atlanta, charged with child exploitation, criminal attempt to commit child molestation, criminal attempt to entice a child for indecent purposes;

Garrett Hick, 21, of Atlanta, charged with child exploitation, criminal attempt to commit child molestation, criminal attempt to entice a child for indecent purposes;

Bryan Gomez, 24, of Canton, charged with child exploitation, criminal attempt to commit child molestation, criminal attempt to entice a child for indecent purposes;

Mark Shin, 38, of Newnan, charged with child exploitation, Criminal Attempt of child molestation, criminal attempt to entice a child for indecent purposes.

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

DAWSONVILLE, Ga – Agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office investigators arrested two more suspects in the murder case of Hannah Bender last night (Sept 30).

Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard reported just moments ago that Isaac Huff and Dylan Reid were arrested in Dawson County and are now in the Dawson County Detention Center.

Jarrard said officials with the GBI are meeting today with the District Attorney Lee Darragh to determine what charges to file against both men.

Jarrard also said he expects to make more arrests in the case. One more could come as soon as today.

Bender’s mother Carol Gilreath last saw her daughter on Sept. 14 and reported her missing on Sept. 19. Authorities found her body in a ravine near Parks Road in Forysth County five days later.

The primary suspect in the case is Austin Todd Stryker who is still at large. His fiancee Elizabeth Donaldson and another man, Jerry Harper, were arrested last week.

Fetch Your News will have more details as they become available.

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

GBI PRESS RELEASE

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — On Monday, July 8, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was requested by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) to investigate an officer involved shooting that resulted in the death of Hall County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicolas Dixon, age 28.

Preliminary information indicates that on Sunday, July 7, 2019, at approximately 11:09 pm, Deputy Dixon attempted to stop a stolen vehicle occupied by four males. A chase ensued and ended with the subjects fleeing on foot.

Deputy Dixon and another deputy made contact with the subject, Hector Garcia Solis, age 19, in the yard of 43 Highland Avenue Gainesville and gunfire was exchanged. Deputy Dixon was shot one time and subsequently died from the wound.

Garcia was struck multiple times and is in critical condition at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center. Another subject was detained, and two other subjects remain at large. Attempts are ongoing to identify and locate them by HCSO, Gainesville Police Department, and the GBI.

The GBI will continue its independent investigation. When the investigation is complete, it will be turned over to the Hall County District Attorney’s Office for review.

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Chad Sitzwohl, 35 of Dawsonville, has been arrested along with 30 others in a crackdown on child internet sex crimes conducted by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

Sitzwohl was arrested April 30 and charged with sexual exploitation of children.

Ten ICAC Task Forces in eight states coordinated the operation. Law enforcement targeted suspects who possess and distribute child pornography. They also focused on those who exploit children in other ways using technology and the internet.

As part of the operation, officers arrested 82 suspects over three days. A spokeswoman for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says 17 children were rescued or identified as victims.

“The dedicated law enforcement professionals that are part of the Georgia ICAC Task Force will not cease searching for those who are producing, trading and collecting this graphic material,” says state task force commander Debbie Garner.

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. — Dawson County Coroner Ted Bearden today identified the body found Tuesday just off the Appalachian Trail near the Amicalola Falls State Park as that of 54-year-old Michael Johnson of Liberty, Kentucky.

Bearden said foul play is not suspected. The body has been sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for autopsy.

Johnson was believed to have been hiking Tuesday. His body was found by another hiker near the Len Foote Hike Inn.

Bearden said the result of the GBI autopsy will not  be available for six months.