WSMV Channel 4 Security tight as Perry Co. man faces child porn hearing

A county courthouse was placed on lockdown Tuesday, and dozens of officers armed with M-16s surrounded the building to ensure the safety of a high-profile suspect.

Michael Bates was arrested at his Lobelville, TN, home last week on charges accusing him of running an Internet child pornography ring dating back to 1994.

Bates appeared for an arraignment Tuesday, and local authorities were not taking any chances on possible violent action by the public.

Dozens of heavily-armed officers from five different agencies carefully positioned themselves around the Perry County courthouse in Linden. And a judge placed the building itself on lockdown.

Snipers hid on nearby rooftops and K-9 units stood by just in case.

"This was an unusual scene, but there's a reason behind it,"said Will Nunley, Town of Linden spokesman.

Bates is suspected of running the Internet child pornography ring inside his home, and investigators say he bought Xbox gaming consoles and computers for young boys to lure them in.

Police believe he has been doing it for the past 17 years, and they arrested him for the first time last week.

"He was always a nice guy, kinda stayed to his self, a little different, but I never thought this," Linden resident Gaye Treadwell said.

In a county where seemingly everyone knows everyone, police now worry about the safety of Bates and others.

"I think it was needed honestly," Linden resident Tailina Zoglio said.

Officials say you can count on similar levels of security throughout the rest of the case.

"They're very serious about the protection of this suspect, protection of everybody involved," Nunley said.

And they hope seeing Bates locked up and guarded will encourage other possible victims to feel safe about coming forward.

"If there's somebody, other people that this has happened to, that they need to come forward and say something. It needs to be done," Zoglio said.

Bates is now charged with five counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor. His next court appearance is scheduled for mid-March.

Anyone who has information into the case should contact the Perry County Sheriff's Office.

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