Georgia couple Scott and Sally Howard arrested on child cruelty and exploitation charges: cops

A Georgia couple was arrested following an investigation into the alleged online possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, authorities said.

Scott Howard, 42, and Sally Howard, 37, are residents of Macon, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The bureau’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit first initiated an investigation into the two suspects in April 2026, officials said.

That inquiry spanned five months of examination into alleged illicit online conduct, according to the agency.

On Monday, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Macon residence, the GBI said.

Both suspects were subsequently arrested after the search, authorities said. They were then booked into the Bibb County Jail, according to officials.

Scott Howard faces two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of second-degree cruelty to children, records show.

Sally Howard is charged with one count of second-degree cruelty to children, according to investigators.

The bureau has not publicly clarified what specifically led to the cruelty-to-children charges filed against both defendants, officials said. Details explaining those particular allegations have not yet been made public, according to the agency.

Multiple partner law enforcement agencies assisted the state bureau during the multi-month investigation, authorities said.

The assisting units included the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, the GBI Special Operations Unit, and the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to officials.

Both defendants remain held behind bars on the pending counts, authorities said. Neither suspect has been convicted, officials noted.