Staff Report

Adam Alexander Artist

LEITERS FORD — A Fulton County man was arrested after an online group that works to expose child predators allegedly caught him planning to engage in sexual activity with a 13-year-old.

Adam Alexander Artist, 45, 4532 School St., Leiters Ford, is charged with child solicitation, a level 5 felony.

On Aug. 25, a Fulton County Sheriff’s Office deputy went to the post office in Leiters Ford regarding a report of child solicitation. Members of Bikers Against Predators had been at the post office with Artist, who they had previously communicated with online.

Bikers Against Predators is an online group that works to catch child predators before they commit crimes against children.

According to court documents, the predator group used a decoy pretending to be a 13-year-old girl. They had been communicating through text messages.

All screenshots of messages and videos of conversations with Artist were sent to police.

One person from the group parked at Leiters Ford’s post office and went to Artist’s residence, asking if he could help him change a tire. Artist followed them back to the post office, where he was confronted about the conversations.

During the talk, Artist initially said that it was his personal life and no one should worry about it. Later on, Artist said that what he did was wrong and that he had learned his lesson.

Artist admitted that he believed he was talking to a 13-year-old and that he turned their conversations sexual in nature. Artist initially messaged the decoy on a social media app and requested nude pictures. He then sent the decoy his cellphone number.

The text conversations included Artist asking for pictures of the girl in her underwear. Artist also sent the decoy an inappropriate photo.

During the conversations, Artist allegedly asked the decoy about engaging in sexual activity with him.

While talking with the predator group, Artist contacted the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office to speak with an officer. Officers went to Artist’s home to speak with him.

Artist told the officer that after he was confronted, he deleted the social media apps he used and messages. He agreed that the conversations he had with the decoy were graphic in nature.

Artist was booked in the Fulton County Jail on Aug. 25.