GBI: Eatonton man charged with sexual exploitation of children

The GBI says the case began after a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

EATONTON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Putnam County man has been arrested on child exploitation charges after an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

According to a GBI news release, 42-year-old Matthew Marrero Garcia of Eatonton has been charged with six counts of sexual exploitation of children.

The GBI says its Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit began investigating Garcia in February after receiving a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding his possession of child sexual abuse material.

The release says Garcia was arrested Tuesday, March 3, at his workplace in Baldwin County. Law enforcement later executed a search warrant at his home in Putnam County.

Garcia was initially booked into the Baldwin County Jail before being taken to the Putnam County Jail.

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Eatonton Police Department and the GBI Cyber Crime Center assisted in the investigation. The case is part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which works to identify people involved in the online exploitation of children.

If you have information about child exploitation cases, call the GBI Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit at (409) 270-8870 or submit tips through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline.