Athens man charged with online obscenity after cross-state digital probe
Police charged Christopher Flick with one count of obscene internet contact with a minor following a multi-agency investigation.
By Anthony Foster ·
Christopher Flick, 38, was charged on Monday with one count of obscene internet contact with a minor. The 38-year-old Athens resident was booked into the Clarke County Jail following an investigation that spanned multiple jurisdictions. He faces a charge of obscenity involving digital contact with an underage victim.
The investigation began earlier this year when the Athens-Clarke County Police Department's Special Victims Unit launched an inquiry. The team worked alongside Alabama deputies to examine Flick's digital footprint for suspected exploitation of an underage victim. The local unit operates as a partner in the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a federal initiative established by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the targeting of youth and the distribution of abuse material.
Federal and regional authorities assisted local law enforcement during the operation. The Dale County Sheriff's Office in Alabama, the U.S. Secret Service, and a Barrow County Sheriff's Office electronic detection K9 unit all contributed to the case. These agencies supported the detectives in tracing the suspect's online activities.
Officers served a search warrant at Flick's Athens home on Tuesday. This action occurred one day after his arrest. Police have not released details regarding the specific evidence uncovered during the search of the residence. They have also not revealed the identity or location of the minor involved in the investigation.
Detectives consider the case an open inquiry and are seeking additional information from the public. Anyone with details can reach Detective Dara Shapland by calling 762-400-7198 or emailing dara.shapland@accgov.com. The investigation was detailed in a press release issued by Athens-Clarke County Police Department Public Information Assistant Geof Gilland.
Citizens reporting other suspected child abuse cases can submit anonymous tips to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. They can call 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), visit gbi.georgia.gov, use the See Something, Send Something mobile app, or file a report at Cybertipline.org. The department continues to review the digital records collected from the suspect's devices.
