HAMILTON COUNTY, TN — An elementary school janitor has been arrested on child exploitation charges after investigators discovered he was manufacturing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) by altering images of minor students, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office announced.
Zackary Nelson was taken into custody on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at Daisy Elementary School (Soddy-Daisy, TN), where he was actively employed as a janitor. He has been booked into the Hamilton County Jail & Detention Center on a charge of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
Altered Images and Parental Notifications
The arrest was executed by detectives with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Criminal Investigations Unit. In conjunction with Nelson’s arrest at the school, investigators executed a search warrant at his residence, seizing numerous electronic devices for digital forensic analysis.
According to preliminary information released by the sheriff’s office, the investigation revealed that Nelson was taking images of identified minor students and digitally altering them to manufacture CSAM.
Authorities confirmed that the parents and guardians of all currently identified student victims have already been notified by the HCSO Criminal Investigations Unit. Because the investigation remains active and devices are still being analyzed, detectives will continue to notify families if any additional victims are discovered.
Law Enforcement Statement: In a public release following Nelson’s arrest, the HCSO Criminal Investigations Unit issued a direct warning to online predators:
“If you choose to exploit children from a computer, remember that we still make house calls. Don’t be surprised when you look up from the screen and see us.”
