DALTON, Ga. — A 45-year-old Chatsworth man is being held without bond after he was accused of molesting a juvenile and the man’s wife found nude pictures of a juvenile on his phone, according to a report from the Murray County Sheriff’s Office. 

Daniel Shane Strickland, of 161 Murray One Place, was charged on Thursday with child molestation, computer pornography and simple battery. The battery charge came from a separate incident when an argument between Strickland and his stepdaughter over the molestation allegations escalated, according to an incident report.

MCSO Detective Eric White said after an allegation was reported to deputies on Feb. 13 by a child who is under the age of 14, it was Strickland’s wife who provided more information to investigators. 

“It is pretty cut and dry,” White said. “We had a juvenile report he had been touching her and his wife went through his phone and tablet and found what she thought were pictures of the same juvenile with certain identifying marks.”

According to an incident report, deputies were given a tablet that was said to be Strickland’s and “contained naked pictures of juvenile females.” The wife also gave deputies Strickland’s cellphone after deputies responded to a 911 call reporting “Daniel Strickland was being irate with (his wife).” His wife claimed there were pictures of the juvenile in the same clothing she was wearing Wednesday and the photos were timestamped on Feb. 13. 

Strickland told deputies that the pictures were downloaded from another file on Feb. 13

“Daniel continued stating that he was nervous that he would be arrested for something he didn’t do,” the report said. “Daniel stated that he knew the pictures with that date on them looked bad.”

The juvenile told a deputy she was staying at the house of Strickland, who is a family friend. She said she was pretending to be asleep when he got home and that Strickland began pulling her pants down. She told the deputy Strickland “touched her breast through her shirt, and touched her between her legs with her pants out of the way (skin-to-skin),” the report said. She said she rolled over to make Strickland think she was waking up and he “quickly left the room.”

She also said that she had caught Strickland “watching her while she sleeps before” and that she “believes he has taken pictures of her,” the report said.

Another deputy was called to the area after a member of the juvenile’s family said he was “going to (Strickland’s) house.” Strickland’s wife was then told of why deputies were in the area and the investigation into her husband. His wife said Strickland “made a weird statement” the previous night when he came to bed. He told his wife he was feeling around for a television remote where the juvenile was sleeping, and “he couldn’t find it so (the juvenile) might think he was touching her.” 

Strickland was denied bond during his first appearance before Magistrate Court Judge Connie Reed, and the case has been sent to Superior Court. Information from the Superior Court calendar in Murray County wasn’t immediately available on Tuesday.