A Franklin man was arrested and charged after a juvenile told police that he took nude photos of her as a punishment.
James C. Houston, 47, 2445 Bristol Drive, was arrested and charged with child exploitation, a Level 5 Felony, and misdemeanor battery.
On June 14, a Department of Child Services employee reported to the Franklin Police Department that a juvenile said Houston took multiple photos of her nude, according to court documents.
The juvenile told police Houston said she was breaking a rule and hit her in the face. Houston then told the victim to take off her clothes because he was going to take nude photos of her. He then touched her inappropriately, court documents said.
Houston told the juvenile he had nude photos of her now and he would send them out if she broke more rules, court documents said.
Houston told police he took three nude photos of the juvenile because she was not following rules, and threatened to send them out if she misbehaved, according to court documents.
He told police he immediately deleted the photos because he felt bad about what he had done, and that the punishment worked because the juvenile had not broken other rules, court documents said.
Police searched Houston’s phone and found one nude photo of the victim that was taken in April.
He was arrested late last week and taken to the Johnson County jail, where he was released on $8,600 bond.
If convicted on both charges, he faces up to six and a half years in prison.
