Chattooga Sheriff’s investigators arrest Cloudland man in child pornography case

July 3rd, 2025 – 2:00 PM

WRGA Staff Reports –

(36-year-old Michael Lance Brown – Chattooga County Jail Mugshot)

A Cloudland man employed with DeKalb County Schools in Alabama was arrested Tuesday on felony charges related to child pornography and illegal surveillance.

According to the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office, 36-year-old Michael Lance Brown was taken into custody following a joint investigation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Investigators allege Brown produced and distributed child pornography online and used a hidden recording device to capture images of people without their knowledge.

Authorities have not stated where those recordings were made.

Brown was a coach at Valley Head High School in DeKalb County, Alabama. In a public press release, the DeKalb County School System confirmed the arrest but said the allegations do not appear to involve their students or school campuses. Brown has been removed from all duties pending the outcome of the investigation.

The charges listed against Brown include:

  • Surreptitious recording of intimate parts
  • Computer pornography
  • Possession/sale/distribution of eavesdropping devices
  • Prohibition on nude or sexually explicit material
  • Sexual exploitation of a child (felony)
  • Unlawful eavesdropping or surveillance

Brown remains in the Chattooga County Jail.

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