A woman in Georgia and a man have been arrested following allegations that they arranged for the woman’s 14-year-old son to receive a sleeve tattoo from an unlicensed tattoo artist at an unauthorized location. The tattoo artist, identified as Walter Nesbitt, and the unidentified mother are now facing criminal charges related to the incident, which occurred last month.

On December 29, 2025, Nesbitt was apprehended and charged with the unlawful tattooing of a minor under 18, as stated in a report by the Monroe County Reporter. The child’s mother was detained on January 17 and is accused of being an accomplice to the illegal tattooing of a minor.

A probable cause affidavit, obtained by local CBS and CW affiliate WMAZ, sheds more light on the circumstances leading to the arrests.

According to the station, on December 28, 2025, the mother took her 14-year-old son out, and he returned home with a sleeve tattoo. The boy’s father, deeming the tattoo “very inappropriate” for his son, reported the incident to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, implicating both the mother and the tattoo artist.

Per Georgia state law, minors under the age of 18 are prohibited from receiving tattoos, regardless of parental consent. Exceptions are made for tattoos administered by licensed physicians or osteopaths for medical or cosmetic reasons.

The Monroe County Reporter identified the boy’s father as Chris Johnson, noting that he has full custody of the victim.

After the father reported the tattooing to the sheriff’s office, deputies responded to a barbershop in the 3550 block of Mercer University Drive. Upon arriving at the establishment, deputies said they made contact with Nesbitt, who is accused of tattooing the victim.

When asked about the incident, Nesbitt initially told authorities he did not have anything to do with the 14-year-old’s tattoo, WMAZ reported. However, he soon conceded that he gave the child the tattoo, explaining that he did it at the request of the boy’s mother.

Additionally, Nesbitt allegedly conceded that he did not have a license to give tattoos nor did he obtain a signed consent form from the boy’s mother.

If found guilty, the defendants face up to a year in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000.