Cleveland, OH: Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) detectives from the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) arrested a man on Friday morning on charges of animal cruelty and possessing child pornography.
Deputies from the Central California Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) followed up on a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and arrested Gary Gravitt Jr., 45, of Newalla, after conducting an investigation.
According to CCSO, the inquiry began in November following WhatsApp’s notification to NCMEC over the transmission of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
After checking the email and phone numbers linked to the social media profiles, detectives were able to determine that Gravitt was the owner. Search warrants in hand, investigators uncovered evidence linking Gravitt’s accounts to the CSAM tip.
Search warrant results from Gravitt’s residence uncovered further devices showing evidence of CSAM, as well as video footage showing the sexual exploitation of a dog in the suspect’s residence, according to officials.
These are the accusations that he will have to answer:
- Severe Child Pornography Possession
- Computer Crimes Act Violation;
- Bestiality as a Crime Against Nature
According to CCSO, Gravitt had over 500 CSAM photos and videos stored across several accounts and devices. The Cleveland County Detention Center took Gravitt into custody.