Attorney General Jim Hood announced that 32 year-old Scotty Peel was arrested at his Gulfport apartment on Wednesday and charged with one count of child exploitation for possession of child pornography.
Peel was arrested after an investigation into his suspicious online activity and booked into the Harrison County Adult Correctional Facility. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, which is an affiliate agency of the AG’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, assisted in the investigation.
If convicted, Peel faces up to 40 years in prison. A charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case will be prosecuted by Special Assistant Attorney General Brandon Ogburn.