UPDATE: Undercover sting led to Leon County correctional officer’s child porn arrest

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - The Leon County Sheriff’s Office arrested one of its correctional officers in February on out-of-state charges of child pornography and obscene contact with a child.

According to an arrest affidavit filed by LCSO on Feb. 18, 2022, the Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia told LCSO’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit that it obtained two arrest warrants for James Linton.

Linton was arrested that day at the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and taken to the county jail without incident. Records show Linton was booked into the Dekalb County Jail a week later on February 25. He bonded out two days later.

An arrest affidavit filed by DCSO says Linton was caught during an undercover sting in which a Dekalb County detective posed as a 14-year-old girl as they messaged online. The conversation carried on via chat apps, texts and emails. The affidavit also alleges that Linton sent the undercover detective child porn clips.

Dekalb County deputies then subpoenaed Google for information from Linton’s email, as well as the phone number associated with it. The affidavit says the phone number was registered to Linton, and his driver’s license photo matched his online profile photo.

Court records indicate Linton is charged in Georgia with “Computer Pornography” and “Obscene Telephone Contact with a Child.” The computer pornography charge encompasses the possession of child porn, as well as offering or soliciting sexual conduct from minors, via a computer or another electronic device.

LCSO sent the following statement to WCTV regarding Linton’s arrest:

Mr. Linton was a Correctional Officer in the Leon County Detention Facility’s (LCDF) Medical Unit at the time of his retirement, which is also the same date of his arrest. He was on approved leave at the time and LCSO coordinated with authorities in Dekalb County regarding his arrest.

Mr. Linton began employment with LCDF on 9/8/92.

WCTV reached out to Linton’s attorney for comment. They said because the litigation is pending, they’re unable to comment on the case at this time.