Local Man Taken Into Custody for Online Offenses Involving Minors

In a significant development, law enforcement officials have apprehended a man from Summertown following a thorough investigation conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) squad. The inquiry was initiated after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) alerted TBI agents on November 4th regarding an online application account that was disseminating material associated with child sexual abuse.

As the investigation progressed, authorities executed a search warrant at a residence in Summertown. During this operation, they discovered a cell phone that contained explicit child sexual abuse material. Further examination revealed that the account in question, as well as the phone, belonged to an individual named Stephen Dyer. Consequently, on November 5th, Stephen Thomas Dyer was taken into custody and charged with one count of child exploitation. This operation was carried out with the collaboration of the TBI Criminal Investigation Division special agents and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office. Dyer is currently being held without bond at the Lawrence County Jail as the investigation continues.