Hope man facing charges related to possession of sexually explicit conduct involving a child

On Monday, July 8, 2024, agents from the ASP’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) arrested 71-year-old Rodney Lee Watson of Hope after executing a search warrant based on a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The investigation resulted in Watson facing 100 charges related to the distribution, possession, or viewing of materials depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child.

Watson was taken into custody and brought to the Hempstead County Detention Center, where his bond was set at $250,000.