MT. VERNON (WMIX) – Updated information has been released regarding the arrest of a 39-year-old Scheller man for alleged possession of child pornography in Jefferson County.
According to Deputy Detective Bobby Wallace with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says his office received a tip from Homeland Security’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force regarding child pornography in the Jefferson County area. That led to an investigation and ultimately a search warrant for the Scheller home of James Michael Payne where electronics were seized.
Forensics reportedly revealed child pornography on the devices and resulted in a warrant issued for Payne’s arrest Friday on two Class 2 felony charges of possession of child pornography and two violations of the sex offender registry for having multiple email addresses he failed to disclose to the registry.
Payne was taken to the Jefferson County Jail awaiting the formal filing of charges in Jefferson County Court, along with a detention hearing.
He pleaded guilty in 2014 in Franklin County Court to felony grooming and was sentenced to 30 months probation and was ordered to register as a sex offender.
