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Thursday, October 29, 2026Oct 29

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Dayton, Tenn., man arrested after child pornography found on camera he pawned

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photo Billy Estep, 51, was charged with eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and eight counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor.

A Dayton, Tenn., pawn shop employee who accidentally knocked over a camera in the back of the store last week was shocked when she turned on the device to ensure it worked, Dayton police officials say.

Stored on the camera were pornographic images of three children between the ages of 2 and 6, Dayton Police Department Investigator Steve Rievley said.

The camera was turned over to authorities, and Billy Estep, 51, has been charged with eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and eight counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor.

Rievley said the children were related to Estep, and that there is no indication how long the abuse had been going on. “They were recent photos, taken within a few months,” he said.

Estep could not be reached for comment Wednesday evening.