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DRESDEN, Tenn. (WJHL) — A state corrections officer from Roan Mountain is facing charges in a child exploitation investigation by state and West Tennessee investigators.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) said a joint investigation by its Cybercrime and Digital Evidence Unit and the Weakley County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office led to the arrest of Hunter Chase Ellison, 22.
According to the TBI, agents began working with Weakley County investigators in February to investigate a report of a 9-year-old sending child sex abuse material to an adult male via Snapchat. Investigators identified Ellison as the Snapchat account user.
TBI agents obtained warrants last week, charging Ellison with especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and solicitation of a minor by electronic means.
At the time of the alleged crime, Ellison was employed as a corrections officer at the Northeast Correctional Complex in Mountain City, according to the TBI. He was reportedly arrested at his workplace on Friday and taken to the Johnson County Jail.
The Tennessee Department of Corrections and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the arrest.