PRESS RELEASE – On Wednesday, April 30, 2025, the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) arrested Stephen Wayne Hewitt, age 69, following an investigation into alleged child exploitation crimes.

The investigation began in late March after GCSO received a cyber tip from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Throughout the course of the investigation, GCSO detectives executed five search warrants. Evidence obtained from personal digital devices led to Hewitt being charged with .

Hewitt is a former law enforcement officer who served approximately 30 years at two separate law enforcement agencies in the metro Atlanta area. .

Sheriff Stacy Nicholson issued the following statement:

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This investigation remains ongoing. No further details will be released at this time.