Former probationary officer arrested
A former Memphis police probationary officer was arrested after he sent pictures of his genitals to an eight-year-old girl, and asked her to send him pictures of herself performing sex acts, according to court documents.
Andrew Hellums, 28, has been charged with multiple counts related to aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor in California.
From mid-november through mid-december, Hellums asked the child in California to perform sex acts to be photographed and sent to him, police say. She sent him multiple photos of herself engaging in sexual acts or poses, according to court documents.
Hellums also sent photos of both his face and genitals to the child on multiple occasions, according to court documents.
When the child’s father discovered the conversations on a mobile device, he contacted a California police department. A detective there researched the conversations and identified Hellums as a suspect, matching the pictures of the man’s face to Hellums’ driver’s license.
Corinne S Kennedy and Katherine Burgess
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Hellums was arrested Friday and charged with especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and solicitation of exploitation of a minor by electronic means.
He was booked into the Shelby County Jail and was released Saturday after posting bail.
“Hellums’ employment with the department was terminated prior to this investigation due to his failure to satisfy the probationary process,” according to MPD.
Hellums was hired in MPD in March 2017. It was not clear exactly when that employment ended.