A joint investigation involving special agents from the TBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, the Cookeville Police Department and the Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in the arrest of a Smithville man.
In January, special agents began investigating a tip regarding child sexual abuse material on a SnapChat account.
During the investigation special agents determined 40-year-old Christopher Edward Williams of Big Hurricane Road, Smithville, and worked in Cookeville, was the account owner.
On Thursday, February 13, Cookeville Police took Williams into custody, charging him with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Officers transported him to the Dekalb County jail where he was booked on a $25,000 bond. He is due in court on March 6.
Parents seeking additional information about cybercrime, child exploitation, and how best to safeguard their loved ones can visit http://www.NetSmartz.org for a variety of topical, age-appropriate resources.
Authorities say that the charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct and not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
In other sheriff’s news, 26-year-old Kelsey Elizabeth Steinbach of Keltonburg Road was arrested and charged with six counts of failing to keep a child in school. She is under a $12,000 bond and will be in court on February 20.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, on February 6 a detective received attendance records from the youth services officer for DeKalb County. The records state that a minor child had 65 unexcused absences in the 2024-25 school year.
On December 19, 2024, the mother of the child, Steinbach, signed an order acknowledging that it is her responsibility to ensure the child is attending school, and the after-school program, each and every day that school is in session.
Authorities allege that Steinbach knowingly and intentionally committed the act of educational neglect by not making sure the child attended school. After the order was signed by Steinbach the child missed an additional eight days of school.
On February 7, 34-year-old Mitchell Reed McBee of Lebanon was arrested for second offense of driving on a revoked license. He is under a $3,500 bond and will be in court February 20.
Sheriff Ray said that a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Chevy S-10 for a traffic violation and spoke with the driver, McBee. A background, check through central dispatch, revealed that his license was revoked due to a DUI charge. He also had a prior DRL offense on September 18, 2020 in Sequatchie County, TN.
