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Internet sex sting results in arrest of Cumming man

By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

A North Georgia man who allegedly enticed a “child” he met on the Internet to perform sex with her dog is the latest person to fall into a web designed to place sexual predators out of the reach of children.

Robert Michael Tidwell, 51, of Briar Ridge Way, Cumming, faces one count of violation of the Computer Pornography and Child Exploitation Prevention Act of 1999, Peachtree City Police Chief James Murray said.

“Tidwell was arrested after an investigation was conducted during the months of February and March of 2005, where he contacted an undercover officer, whom he believed to be under the age of 16, for the purposes of enticing her to perform sexual acts with him,” Murray said in a prepared statement. “During the investigation, Tidwell instructed and enticed the officer to engage in sexual acts with her dog.”

Tidwell allegedly exposed his genitals to the so-called minor using a webcam for the purpose of sexual gratification, authorities said.

The investigation into the case continues.

At 2 p.m. Tuesday, Tidwell faced a Fayette County Magistrate judge to answer the charges that stem from a two-month investigation launched by the Peachtree City Police Department.

Murray was expected to testify during the bond hearing. A judge ordered that Tidwell could be released from the Fayette County jail after posting a $35,000 bond. However, as of 4 p.m. Tuesday, Tidwell remained in custody.

Tidwell is the sixth person nabbed as part of the department’s Online Protection of Children program.

On March 10, police arrested former Pike County Superintendent Darryl Dean for trying to solicit sex from a police officer posing as a 15-year-old girl.

The sting also has nabbed a former webmaster for the Coweta County School System.