BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A deputy with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office was arrested Tuesday and charged with allegedly sending sexually explicit images to minors through Snapchat, the youngest of which was 12 years old.
During a press conference Tuesday, Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey announced that Christopher Thomason, 42, was arrested in Jefferson County Tuesday while attending the Alabama Police Officers Standard Training Academy at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Training Facility. Thomason has been charged with 11 counts involving child pornography, including dissemination or public display of child sexual abuse material, possession or possession with the intent to disseminate child abuse material, transmission of material to a child and electronic solicitation of a child.
Thomason had been employed as a corrections officer at the jail since last August, but had been named a K9 officer this spring, despite not having post certification, Casey said.
According to Casey, Thomason was allegedly sharing at least five videos and two images depicting minor females “in sexual activity.” During a search of his Snapchat account, law enforcement found he had allegedly sent 162 photographs to different people, 113 showed Thomason wearing his Blount County deputy uniform.
Casey claimed Thomason had corresponded with at least three underage girls through Snapchat, one of whom lives in Alabama and is 12 years old. Casey claims that Thomason had also attempted to meet with one of the victims at a football game in Walker County.
“I am deeply saddened and disturbed by this situation. The actions alleged are completely unacceptable, and they betray the values of trust, integrity, and protection that we are sworn to uphold,” Blount County Sheriff Mark Moon said in a statement. “I want to be absolutely clear—this office will always operate with transparency and accountability to the people we serve. We will continue to fully cooperate with ALEA and all agencies involved in this investigation.”
A search warrant was conducted at Thomason’s home in Blount County Tuesday.
The case remains under investigation.
Watch the full press conference in the queue above.
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