Columbia Police Join Tennessee Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Make First Child Exploitation Arrest
Columbia, TN (August 3, 2026) - In July of 2026, The Columbia Police Department took a step forward in its efforts in targeting offenders who are focused on preying on innocent children by joining the Tennessee Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Taskforce.
After joining the ICAC taskforce, we received our first tip through the ICAC information center and on Friday, July 31st, 2026, investigators and officers with The Columbia Police Department in conjunction with Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Taskforce executed a search warrant in Columbia in relation to alleged sexual exploitation of a minor.
This investigation resulted in the arrest of a forty-six-year-old male who had previously been convicted of sexual related crimes against children and is on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry. Currently this individual has been charged with Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Especially Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and is currently incarcerated in The Maury County Jail. Additional charges will be forthcoming after investigators analyze all evidence obtained during the execution of the search warrant.
Chief Jeremy Haywood stated “I am extremely pleased to announce that The Columbia Police Department is now a member of The ICAC Taskforce. This step will aid our investigators in their efforts to locate and hold accountable those individuals who are targeting innocent children. An abundance of investigative effort and time goes into these types of cases, and I am proud of the work of the investigators and partner agencies involved with this first ICAC case.”
ABOUT COLUMBIA, TN
The City of Columbia is the county seat of Maury County, located 45 miles south of Nashville, Tennessee. Columbia is experiencing a renaissance of new industry, residential development, a bustling historic downtown square, and emerging arts district while attracting companies, residents, and visitors looking for affordability, quality of life, and a Main Street experience, all in a convenient location. Columbia is a Southern Living ‘Top 10 Best Small Town’ and the ancestral home of the 11th U.S. President James K. Polk.
