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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Alabaster resident Bobby Joe Seales has been arrested on charges of child pornography according to a release from the Alabaster Police Department.

According to the statement from APD, Seales, 76, was arrested on Thursday, May 13, on charges of possession of child pornography and disseminating child pornography.

According to the Alabaster Police Department, the investigation into Seales began after a cyber tip was reported for inappropriate online activity.

“We have entities in place that monitor for predatorial behavior online and report them to the proper authorities,” said Alabaster Detective Randy Ray.

Seales is the former president and director of the Shelby County Historical Society in Columbiana. He retired from the position on Nov. 1, 2015.

He has also been honored by legislators in the past for his work in the county and was elected to a national SAR position in 2019 as Vice-President General for the Southern District of the National Society of Sons of American Revolution.

Possession of Child Pornography is a class C felony and holds a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Disseminating child pornography is a class B felony and holds a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

Seales was booked and released after posting bail on bonds totaling $40,000.

The case is still under investigation and anyone with more information is asked to contact the Alabaster Criminal Investigation Division at 205-664-6850 or 205-663-7401.