Investigation
The below information was submitted to a Judge in the United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia by an HSI Atlanta Special Agent as probable cause for the arrest of Gasaway. The Court found there was sufficient probable cause and ordered Gasaway’s arrest. This is not a full view of the information from the investigation, just the information needed to show probable cause.
Miami Customs Search
According to court documents obtained by NCST an investigation into Larry Nelson Gasaway on April 13th, 2025 when Gasaway re-entered the country in Miami. Upon his return he entered the customs process where he was chosen for a secondary inspection. During this secondary inspection Gasway’s cell phone was examined.
It’s during the basic examination of Gasway’s cell phone that Customs and Border Protection ( CPB ) located ” hidden camera videos depicting a minor known to Gasaway”. CPB than contacted Homeland Security Investigations Miami ( HSI ) who responded to assist CPB. HSI Miami seized Gasway’s phone and extracted it’s data.
HSI Atlanta Residence Search
On April 16, 2025, HSI Atlanta searched the bedroom and bathroom belonging to the victim in ” a residence in Newnan, GA ” where agents suspected that Gasaway had placed ” hidden cameras “. During the search of the victims bedroom, agents located a Ring camera concealed in a void in the ceiling directly above the bed. The camera was seized by agents.
On April 17th, 2025, HSI Atlanta compelled Ring to produce information related to the camera seized by agents in the victims bedroom. Ring provided account details that match information known to belong to Gasaway.
HSI Atlanta Phone Search
On April 21st, 2025, HSI Atlanta received Gasway’s seized phone from HSI Miami. Agents found numerous sexually explicit videos of the victim that were apparently made by recording live or recorded streams from the hidden cameras in the victims bedroom and bathroom using the phone’s camera.
One of the explicit videos located on the phone, apparently taken from the camera hidden directly above the victims bed displayed a timestamp from Feb 16, 2025.
HSI Atlanta Victim Interview
On April 29th, 2025, HSI Atlanta forensically interviewed the minor female victim. The victim confirmed that she was the individual depicted in the videos. She also stated that Gasaway had purchased her sexual related items and that she and Gasaway had sexually explicit conversations.
Arrest and Detention
Gasaway was arrested on April 30th, 2025 after the court found probable cause to do so. On the same day US Attorney Teddy Hertzberg submitted a Motion for Detention to the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia requesting that Gasaway be held in jail until a hearing could be held regarding bond.
The Magistrate at Gasaway’s Initial Appearance set a Bond/Pretrial hearing for May 1st, 2025, and approved Gasaway’s temporary detention until that hearing. Gasaway was turned over to the US Marshalls to be detained.
Gasaway also waived his Preliminary Hearing at this Initial Appearance.
Bond and Release
According to court records the May 1st Bond/Pretrial hearing lasted just over 2 hours with the AUSA presenting 14 additional exhibits in support of their Motion for Detention.
Ultimately the Judge decided that their argument wasn’t sufficient and he granted Gasaway a $20,000 unsecured bond with special conditions. This means that Gasaway is agreeing that if he doesn’t show up as directed for court hearings he will be arrested and owe the government $20,000.
The following special conditions apply to Gasaway’s bond.
- The defendant shall not commit any offense in violation of federal, state or local law while on release in this case.
- The defendant shall immediately advise the court, defense counsel and the U.S. attorney in writing before any change in address and telephone number.
- The defendant shall appear at all proceedings as required and shall surrender for service of any sentence imposed as directed.
- The defendant promises to appear at all proceedings as required and to surrender for service any sentence imposed.
- The defendant executes an unsecured bond binding the defendant to pay the United States the sum of Twenty Thousand, $20,000, dollars in the event of a failure to appear as required or to surrender as directed for service of any sentence imposed.
- The defendant must:
- submit to supervision by and report for supervision to the pretrial services department, no later than today,
- continue or actively seek employment,
- surrender any passport to: pretrial services,
- not obtain a passport or other international travel documents,
- abide by the following restrictions on personal associations, residence, or travel: No travel outside NDGA. No changing residence without permission from pretrial or work, no contact with minor children ( except his own biological children, at his [ unreadable ] under supervision of their mother or grandmother ),
- avoid all contact, directly or indirectly, with any person who is or may be a victim or witness in the investigation or prosecution,
- get medical or psychiatric treatment: mental health assessment and treatment/counseling if necessary,
- not possess a firearm, destructive device, or other weapon,
- not use alcohol excessively,
- not use or unlawfully possess a narcotic drug, or other controlled substances defined in 21 U.S.C. § 802, unless prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner.
- participate in the location monitoring program and comply with the requirements, as directed in subsections
- Following the location restriction component:
- Home Detention. You are restricted to your residence at all times except for employment; education; religious services; medical, substance use, or mental health treatment; attorney visits; court appearances; court-ordered obligations; activities approved by the court; or essential activities approved in advance by the pretrial services office or supervising officer,
- submit to the following location monitoring technology:
- GPS
- pay all or part of the cost of location monitoring, including equipment loss or damage, based upon your ability to pay, as determined by the pretrial services or supervising officer
- Following the location restriction component:
- report as soon as possible, to the pretrial services or supervising officer, every contact with law enforcement personnel, including arrests, questioning, or traffic stops.
- Def may not possess any form of pornographic material. Def may not access the internet or possess any internet-capable device. He may possess and use a mobile ” flip phone. ” The Def’s mother, with whom he lives, affirms that any devices used by others in the household will be password restricted and the password will not be shared with the Defendant. The Defendant agrees to a search condition, based on reasonable suspicion of a violation of this condition, whereby his premises ( including residence, vehicle, papers, devices, and communications ) may be searched. Pretrial is to verify the mother’s understanding of this condition, which could affect her premises, and that she agrees no minor children will be present at the residence.
Possible ” Pre-indictment Resolution “
On May 2nd, 2025 the AUSA submitted a ” Consent Motion for Extension of Time to Formally Charge Defendant “. In support of their motion the AUSA stated the following.
- On April 30, 2025, Defendant was arrested on a criminal complaint and brought before the Court for an initial appearance.
- A defendant must be formally charged by indictment or information within 30 days of his or her arrest. 18 U.S.C. § 3161(b). Accordingly, the present deadline for Defendant to be formally charged is May 30, 2025.
- Defendant and the Government are exploring a possible pre-indictment resolution to this matter. To date, counsel for the parties have engaged in some preliminary discussions, However, the parties require additional time to adequately prepare for, and participate in, more comprehensive discussions. The parties jointly request to extend by 60 days, that is, until July 29, 2025, the time for the Government to see and indictment. The parties believe that such an extension will afford the parties a sufficient opportunity to attempt to resolve the case short of indictment.
- Title 18, United States Code, Section 3161(h)(7)(A) provides for the exclusion of time resulting from a continuance where the Court finds that the ends of justice served by the continuance outweigh the best interests of the public and the defendant in a speedy trial. A continuance in the instant case – where negotiations may allow the conservation of judicial and prosecutorial resources – presents such grounds.
- The undersigned has conferred with Defendant’s counsel and has been advised that Defendant consents to the requested extension.
On May 6th, 2025 the United States Magistrate Judge granted the motion moving the deadline for Gasaway to be formally charged to July 29th, 2025.
What’s Next
If a ” pre-indictment ” resolution is not reached prior to July 29th we should expect to see a formal indictment on the charges.
I’ll keep an eye on the court docket for any new information and update as soon as it becomes available.
You can already see the difference between state and federal procedures with the requirement that defendants be formally charged by indictment or accusation within 30 days of being arrested. Currently Coweta County Superior Court is taking, depending on the type of case and charges, 1 to 3 years to return an indictment.
Information Resources
The following laws and terms were used in the reporting above and may need further context to be understood properly. Below are resources for more information regarding these.
Federal Law Bond and Pretrial Release
When hearing a motion for bond, the US Magistrate Judge must refer to 18 U.S.C. § 3141 Et Seq. which dictates the options available. The options (1) through (4) are listed below and are referenced in the following.
Some thoughts as you read the information below.
- The goal of bond, especially pretrial, is to ensure three things,
- That the suspect shows for court proceedings, and
- The suspect can’t tamper with witnesses, evidence, etc., and
- That the suspect isn’t a risk of harming anyone.
- The Magistrate Judge is guided by 18 U.S.C. § 3142 in federal court, which sets forth what options are available to ensure the risk of the three factors above are reasonably reduced.
- Using the four options, shown below, the Judge is charged with reviewing the evidence provided, determining the risk posed by the suspect, and using exactly what is needed to mitigate those risk.
- The options (1) through (4) can be thought of as being in order of the level of risk posed by the suspect, with (1) being the tools used for the least risky, and (5) being the tools needed to mitigate the riskiest individuals.
- In this case, the Judge chose option (2), placing a series of conditions on Gasaway.
- You can see that the conditions in orange were included in Gasaway’s release.
- The law states that if the charges include a minor, that certain conditions are a requirement, including electronic monitoring, these required conditions are bold and underlined below.
Below are portions of 18 U.S. Code § 3142, to read the full text please click here ( opens new window )
18 U.S.C § 3142. Release or detention of a defendant pending trial
(a) In General.—Upon the appearance before a judicial officer of a person charged with an offense, the judicial officer shall issue an order that, pending trial, the person be—
(1) released on personal recognizance or upon execution of an unsecured appearance bond, under subsection (b) of this section;
(2) released on a condition or combination of conditions under subsection (c) of this section;
(3) temporarily detained to permit revocation of conditional release, deportation, or exclusion under subsection (d) of this section; or
(4) detained under subsection (e) of this section.
Below is the guidance under the law for (2) above.
18 U.S.C § 3142(c) Release on Conditions
(c) Release Conditions
Probable Charge & Sentencing Information
As booking information isn’t available and no charges have been formally charged, I can’t provide you with a list of charge(s) for which Gasaway was charged.
However, in the probable cause statement by HSI in support of Gasaway’s arrest, it does state that he violated 18 U.S. Code § 2251(a) ( Full Text ), the relevent text of which is displayed below.
18 U.S.C § 2251(a). Sexual exploitation of children
(a) Any person who employs, uses, persuades, induces, entices, or coerces any minor to engage in, or who has a minor assist any other person to engage in, or who transports any minor in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or Possession of the United States, with the intent that such minor engage in, any sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct or for the purpose of transmitting a live visual depiction of such conduct, shall be punished as provided under subsection (e), if such person knows or has reason to know that such visual depiction will be transported or transmitted using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or mailed, if that visual depiction was produced or transmitted using materials that have been mailed, shipped, or transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by any means, including by computer, or if such visual depiction has actually been transported or transmitted using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or mailed.
The possible sentencing is provided in (e) of this same section.
18 U.S.C § 2251(e). Sexual exploitation of children
(e) Any individual who violates, or attempts or conspires to violate, this section shall be fined under this title and imprisoned not less than 15 years nor more than 30 years, but if such person has one prior conviction under this chapter, section 1591, chapter 71, chapter 109A, or chapter 117, or under the Uniform Code of Military Justice or the laws of any State relating to aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact involving a minor or ward, or sex trafficking of children, or the production, possession, receipt, mailing, sale, distribution, shipment, or transportation of child pornography, such person shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for not less than 25 years nor more than 50 years, but if such person has 2 or more prior convictions under this chapter, chapter 71, chapter 109A, or chapter 117, or under the Uniform Code of Military Justice or the laws of any State relating to the sexual exploitation of children, such person shall be fined under this title and imprisoned not less than 35 years nor more than life. Any organization that violates, or attempts or conspires to violate, this section shall be fined under this title. Whoever, in the course of an offense under this section, engages in conduct that results in the death of a person, shall be punished by death or imprisoned for not less than 30 years or for life.