A 32-year-old Newton County stepfather was arrested after his 13-year-old stepdaughter reported that he had been touching her inappropriately for two years. It was also later found that he had been videotaping her in various rooms throughout the home.

According to Newton County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Lt. Tyrone Oliver, the girl told her mother that her stepfather had been touching her inappropriately since she was 11.

Investigators determined that the man had also been secretly taking inappropriate pictures of the child, sometimes when she was asleep, and had installed cameras throughout the house, including in the bathroom. Oliver said that information found on a computer confiscated from the home may indicate that pictures of the child had been uploaded to a website.

The man, whose name is being withheld to protect the victim, was arrested and charged with child molestation, sexual battery, eavesdropping and enticing a child for indecent purposes. Oliver said that the man apparently has no background of sexual crimes.

Uncle charged with sexually molesting niece 

In an unrelated case, a 35-year-old man was arrested and charged with similar crimes after his wife found explicit pictures of their teen-age niece.

Oliver said that accusations of inappropriate touching and sexually suggestive comments were brought to the attention of the sheriff’s office in 2007 when the child was 12, but at the time there was insufficient evidence to charge the man.

Recently, the child’s aunt found photos of the girl which appeared to have been taken several years ago. According to Oliver, the child would stay overnight at the home on occasion.

The man was arrested on charges of eavesdropping and sexual exploitation of a child. His name is being withheld to protect the identity of the victim.