'To Catch a Predator' suspect on trial

A Tifton resident will begin his trial in Dalton today on charges stemming from his arrest in the 2006 "To Catch A Predator" child sex sting operation.

Marvin Harrison Smith, 36, is accused of traveling to a residence in Fortson in order to have sex with an underage girl. He is one of 19 men arrested in the week-long sting in July, 2006.

The girl Smith contacted was a decoy who was working with law-enforcement authorities and the Perverted Justice organization.

Smith is charged with attempted child molestation, attempted enticing a child for indecent purposes and obstructing or hindering law enforcement officers, according to the Ledger-Enquirer newspaper.

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'To Catch a Predator' trial begins

The trial of an Albany man, arrested for attempted child molestation in the "To Catch A Predator,' television program, begins today in Jones County.

Jury selection in Gray, the County Seat, is the first step in the trial of 25-year-old Raymundo Anguiano. Police arrested him during the week-long operation in July of 2006.

Several Georgia residents are among the 20 men Harris County Sheriffs arrested at a decoy house in Fortson. They were caught on camera, allegedly expecting to meet with an underage woman whom they sought for sex, but who was, in fact, an online decoy.

The operation was filmed for NBC Television's Dateline program, and produced in cooperation with an online watchdog group, Perverted-Justice.

A Harris County judge ordered the venue changed to Jones County, citing pre-trail publicity about the case affecting jurors' judgment.

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TV Ad Outs Unregistered Pedophiles

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Screenshot of announcement with number to call. (Courtesy Muscogee County Sheriff's Dept)

A west Georgia Sheriff's Department is calling on the public to report missing sex offenders. And the department is using a tv advertisement to do it.

The 30-second spot shows photos and names of nine sex offenders who haven't registered where they live in Muscogee County.

Major Joe McCrea of the County Sheriff's Office says the response has been exceptional:

"As of today, we should have five of those nine in custody... the one that is scheduled to turn himself in today, has actually called, himself, and is making arrangements to turn himself in -- as a result of this CSA."

The spot began airing just before Thanksgiving.

McCrea says they intend to continue running the community service announcement several more weeks, due to the public response.

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