Man arrested in child pornography Internet case

Blount County Sheriff James Berrong said today that the Sheriff’s Office, in cooperation with ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) of the Knoxville Police Department, charged a 39-year-old Maryville man with sexual exploitation of a child and possession of drug paraphernalia. Andrew Michael Getty, 39, Whites Mill Road, Maryville, is being held on bonds totaling $101,000 pending a hearing in Blount County General Sessions Court at 9 a.m. October 13. The Sheriff’s Office HEAT (High Tech Evidence and Technology) Unit and Criminal Investigation Division, along with ICAC, have been working together on the on-line investigation concerning Getty. The investigation concluded when investigators took Getty into custody at his residence Thursday evening. A computer forensics search of Getty’s computer hard drive turned up several child pornography images and videos. The Sheriff’s Office, along with ICAC, are continuing their investigation into this and other cases of a similar nature.