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Grovetown man sentenced to 60 years in prison for child pornography

EVANS, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A Grovetown veteran who was arrested in September and charged with child pornography was sentenced Wednesday.

According to authorities, Eric Longacre pleaded guilty to 28 counts of possession of child pornography.

On 14 August The Grovetown Police Department Criminal Investigation Division executed a search warrant on a residence in the 4000 block of Rosedale Place in connection with a child pornography investigation..

A judge sentenced him to 60 years in prison, 40 of which he must serve in custody.

Authorities said Grovetown investigators assigned to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received information that Longacre, 40, was involved in the possession of child pornography.

The defense argued that Eric Longacre's military background and clean criminal record should justify bail, but Judge Fleming disagreed.

“The nature of the crime must constitute a threat to society, so I am not granting bail,” Judge Fleming said.

In October, a judge denied Longacre bail, ruling that he posed a flight risk.

Investigators said they found 19 different devices with more than 100,000 files containing child pornography. The charges against him have now been increased.

The GBI tracked down Longacre through online tips.

“I received a tip that child pornography was uploaded to a technology base using his phone number on at least five separate occasions,” said Lead District Attorney Amber Brantley.