James Ricky Wiggins

PARKERSBURG — A Marietta resident and a deputy county coroner from Georgia have been charged with trying to solicit minors online after separate investigations by Parkersburg Police detectives and a recently hired civilian specialist.

The first investigation began in December, when James Ricky Wiggins, 55, of Dawsonville, Ga., began chatting on a social media platform with a Parkersburg Police Department investigator he believed to be a 15-year-old girl, the release said.

Wiggins allegedly spoke about engaging in sexual activity with the person he believed to be a teen, sent explicit photos and videos of himself and requested nude photographs and explicit videos.

During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that Wiggins was a deputy coroner with the Dawson County Coroner’s Office and employed at a funeral home there, the release said. Parkersburg Police contacted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which opened its own case and obtained a search warrant for the suspect’s residence.

A Parkersburg investigator traveled to Georgia and accompanied GBI personnel to Wiggins’ residence, where he was allegedly found in possession of child pornography. He was taken into custody on two counts of sexual exploitation of children and a fugitive from justice charge from West Virginia for a count of use of obscene matter with intent to seduce a minor.

Christopher Allen Payton

Wiggins was brought to Parkersburg Friday and expected to appear before a Wood County magistrate Friday evening, the release said.

Additional charges may be filed in both West Virginia and Georgia as the investigation continues, the release said.

On Tuesday, Christopher Allen Payton, 33, of Marietta, was arrested on a charge of soliciting a minor via computer.

“That guy came over here from Ohio thinking he was meeting a 15-year-old girl but met investigators from the Parkersburg Police Department instead,” Parkersburg Police Chief Matthew Board said.

According to the release, Payton had been chatting via social media with a Parkersburg Police investigator, discussed engaging in sexual activities with her and sent explicit photos. He is being held at the North Central Regional Jail in Doddridge County on a $35,000 bond.

Parkersburg City Council approved funding in September for a civilian child abuse and exploitation investigation specialist, who was hired by the department in October.

“This person was significantly involved in both of these investigations, and … this new position has already proven extremely fruitful,” Board said.

Board said suppressing crimes like this is a point of emphasis for the department.

“We’re making a hard stand with regard to the exploitation of children,” he said.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.

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Anyone with information about other cases of child exploitation is asked to contact their local law enforcement agency or report via the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Cyber Tipline at CyberTipline.org.