08/12/2026
Another CONVICTION.
Arrests are only the beginning. Strong investigations build strong cases and strong cases leads to accountability.
Proud to stand alongside the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office and Limestone County District Attorney’s Office in this fight. Great work everyone. More to come!
Additional Guilty Verdict in Limestone County Sheriff’s Office Millstone Project Case
The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office announces another guilty verdict resulting from its ongoing Millstone Project, an initiative focused on identifying, investigating, and apprehending individuals seeking to exploit children.
On August 10 and 11, 2026, investigators with the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office testified during the trial of Christopher William Carter Tomasello, 34, of Blountsville, Alabama.
Tomasello was originally arrested in February 2024 during a Millstone Project operation targeting child predators. The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office worked in partnership with Covenant Rescue Group and the Athens Police Department to identify and apprehend individuals seeking to engage in illegal sexual activity with children.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Tomasello was seeking what he described as a “daddy daughter” experience with a person he believed to be a child. Tomasello traveled nearly two hours to a predetermined meeting location, where he was taken into custody by undercover investigators.
Following the trial, Tomasello was found guilty of the following charges:
Electronic Solicitation of a Child
Traveling to Meet a Child for an Unlawful S*x Act
Attempted Human Trafficking in the First Degree
This verdict marks the fourth successful conviction resulting from a Millstone Project investigation.
Statement from Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin
“This fourth conviction is a testament to the quality training provided by Covenant Rescue Group and the outstanding work completed by the Athens Police Department and the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office. Child predators will find no refuge in Limestone County.
Parents, please actively monitor your children’s online activity. If you see something suspicious, report it immediately. You could save a child’s life.”
Statement from Captain Caleb Durden, Chief Investigator
“Thank you to everyone involved in this case, including Covenant Rescue Group, the Athens Police Department, our investigative team, the Limestone County District Attorney’s Office, and most importantly, the jury. We work tirelessly to build strong cases like this in order to do everything within our power to protect the innocent children of our community. The teamwork displayed throughout this investigation and prosecution was second to none, and I am proud to serve alongside each of them. God’s children are not for sale.”
Statement from Kristen C. Clemmons, Chief Deputy District Attorney, Limestone County
“Limestone County residents can sleep better tonight knowing that this Defendant is behind bars. The jury’s swift verdict reflects a clear standard in our community that our youth will not be endangered by sexual predators. Each juror who served is truly a hero, and we thank them for their service.
We also thank our local law enforcement and Covenant Rescue Group for conducting these operations and partnering with us in the courtroom. Crimes against children do not take place on the public square. They happen behind closed doors and in the darkest corners of the internet. These agencies have taken great strides to proactively intercept child predators before an actual child is harmed. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to this worthy cause.”
