By Stewart Voegtlin
stewart@jacksonprogress-argus.com

Sheriff Gene Pope reports that hard work by Sergeant Ken Mundy of the Special Victim’s Unit of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Sheriff’s Office and the join efforts of the District Attorney’s Office led to the conviction of two sex offenders, Cody Campbell and Terry Prince. On Monday February 22 before Superior Court Judge William Fears, Cody Campbell pled guilty to four counts of Child Molestation and was sentenced to 40 years where he will serve the first 20 in the state prison system. On the same day also before Judge Fears, Terry Prince pled guilty to one count of Child Molestation and was sentenced to 15 years where he will serve the first five in the state prison system.

Superior Court Judge Fears sentenced Cody Sanford Campbell, 28, of Monticello, to 20 years in prison, and 20 years probation for four counts of child molestation.

Each count alleged Campbell touched the genital area of a minor male.

District Attorney Richard Milam said the sentence sent a strong message that crimes against children would not be tolerated.

“This is a wake up call for everyone in the community to keep up with what your child is doing on the computer,” Milam said.

Perverted Justice, a non-profit organization that investigates, identifies, and publicizes adults who solicit online sexual conversations with adults posing as children, initiated the investigation.

Campbell was found soliciting minors on Internet web-sites and bulletin boards, and was identified as a suspect. Potential victims were identified based on Campbell’s Internet posts and chats on websites and bulletin boards.

Information was turned over to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and JCSO Investigator Jerry Robinson.

Robinson followed up on information provided and continued to investigate further. He interviewed Campbell and Campbell revealed acts committed on victims in Butts County.

A search warrant was executed in Jasper County and Campbell’s computer was seized.

Child pornography charges are pending in Jasper County.

Information gathered by JCSO was turned over to Butts County Sheriff’s Office and Special Victims Unit Investigator Chris Hotchkiss.

Hotchkiss identified the victims, interviewed them, and charged Campbell with child molestation.

“Investigators [Chris] Hotchkiss and [Jerry] Robinson are to be commended for their work -- investigating the case and preparing it for prosecution,” Assistant District Attorney James Moss said.