Published: November 04, 2009 06:12 pm      

"Traveler case" now in Whitfield

A man authorities have referred to as a “traveler case” for alleged crimes in more than one county has been delivered to the Whitfield County Jail from Catoosa County and will face several child sex and drug charges in Superior Court here.

Paul Timothy Needham, 41, of 3631 Susan Lane in Tunnel Hill, was booked into the jail on Tuesday on nine counts of child molestation/aggravated child molestation, two counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes, aggravated sexual battery, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, computer pornography, obscene Internet contact with a child and criminal attempt to commit a misdemeanor.

Maj. John Gibson with the sheriff’s office said that although Catoosa County released Needham to be arraigned here, he still must face similar charges there.

Needham’s arrest in September of 2008 was the result of an investigation by the Innocent Images Task Force, which targets child sexual exploitation and child pornography on the Internet.

“It was brought to the task force’s attention of an inappropriate relationship (between Needham and the alleged victim),” said John Parrish, agent in charge of the Dalton FBI office, at the time of the arrest. “We assumed the victim’s identity and chats were had between him and the task force and he agreed to meet and was arrested.”

District Attorney Kermit McManus said the case will possibly go on the trial calendar after arraignment.

“He could go back to Catoosa County after that,” he said. “It would depend on who’s on the faster track.”

A clerk of court spokeswoman said Needham is scheduled to be arraigned in Whitfield County on Nov. 16.

Officers with the Dalton Police Department, the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Fort Oglethorpe Police Department participate in the task force.