Gainesville man faces 100 counts of child sexual exploitation

GAINESVILLE, Ga. — A Gainesville man is being held without bond in the Hall County Jail after his arrest this week on 100 felony counts of sexual exploitation of children.

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office said its Internet Crimes Against Children Unit received a cybertip this week from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that led investigators to suspect 36-year-old Andrew Wayne Broome. The tip contained 100 videos depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Investigators interviewed Broome at his workplace Thursday, Oct. 29. During the interview, he admitted to possessing the videos, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators seized and secured his cellphone at the scene.

Investigators also executed a search warrant at Broome’s Gainesville home, where they seized multiple electronic devices. Additional charges are possible after forensic examinations of the devices, the agency said.

Investigators said there is currently no evidence that the children depicted in the videos are from the local area.

The 100 charges against Broome involve possession of child sexual abuse material, according to the sheriff’s office.