Crime & Safety

Marietta Man, 52, Accused Of Obscene Contact With Girl, 13

A registered sex offender had been communicating with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl, but was a Cherokee Sheriff's detective.

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Howard Thomas Porter, 52, of Marietta, was arrested for three counts of obscene contact with a minor, six counts of sexual exploitation of a child and three counts of using a computer to solicit a child for indecent acts.
Howard Thomas Porter, 52, of Marietta, was arrested for three counts of obscene contact with a minor, six counts of sexual exploitation of a child and three counts of using a computer to solicit a child for indecent acts. (Cherokee Sheriff's Office)

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — A 52-year-old Marietta man was arrested Monday, Sept. 23 and charged with several crimes related to an "undercover chat" investigation.

Howard Thomas Porter, 52, of Marietta, is a registered sex offender and had been communicating with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl but was in fact a Cherokee Sheriff's detective.

The investigation began earlier this month and culminated with Porter's arrest in Cobb County.

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Porter is charged with three counts of obscene contact with a minor, six counts of sexual exploitation of a child and three counts of using a computer to solicit a child for indecent acts.

Porter remains in custody at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center with a $33,750 bond.

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The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible.

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