The Summit County Sheriff’s Office announced on April 20 that Khidhr Odom, a former Summit County resident, was arrested on two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, which is classified as a Class 4 felony. Odom was taken into custody on April 16 after detectives obtained an arrest warrant following an investigation.
This case highlights the efforts by law enforcement to address crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children and underscores the cooperation between agencies in such investigations.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, detectives received a tip from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) on April 13 indicating that multiple images containing child sexual abuse material had been uploaded to the internet from Odom’s device in January. At that time, Odom lived in Summit County but has since moved to Aurora, Colorado. After receiving the tip, investigators developed probable cause and coordinated with Aurora Police Department officers to locate and arrest Odom.
Odom was extradited back to Summit County Detention Facility following his arrest and released on April 18 after posting a $15,000 bond as required by state law. The Sheriff’s Office also reported that Odom had previously been convicted in October for felony sexual exploitation of a child and was on probation at the time of this latest arrest.
Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said, “Sensitive investigations like these take teamwork, and I thank the Aurora Police Department for their support in assisting our detectives to locate and arrest Mr. Odom quickly and safely.”
Authorities encourage anyone who suspects child sexual exploitation to contact local non-emergency dispatch or report tips online through CyberTipline.org or by calling national hotlines. The ICAC network includes more than 5,400 law enforcement agencies nationwide dedicated to combating internet crimes against children.
Officials remind residents that arrests are based on probable cause and all individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
