The Cobb County grand jury has indicted a former sheriff’s deputy on five counts of sexual exploitation of children, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The indictment comes about two weeks after Peter Bilardello was indicted on federal charges for allegedly distributing child pornography while working in the sex offender unit, the U.S. Attorney’s Office previously said.
In August, Cobb police arrested Bilardello at his Marietta home and booked him into the county jail. He is accused of chatting about performing sexual acts with children on a social media website, according to investigators.
Bilardello is facing both state and federal charges and has two defense attorneys. In a statement released earlier this month, he said he is eager to confront the allegations.
“I have spent 17 years as a public servant with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office with a commendation for bravery and my response without hesitation in an active shooter incident at the Kennesaw FedEx facility in 2014,” Bilardello said in a statement through an attorney. “I feel the brunt of both the state and federal government leveling charges at me.
“I voluntarily resigned as a result of the allegations so that I can concentrate on my family and defense. I await a full opportunity to confront these allegations in a court of law,” the statement said. “I appreciate the support of my family and friends during this time.”
According to prosecutors, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a report in November 2019 that a MeWe social media user had allegedly uploaded and shared approximately 12 images depicting children under 12 years old in sexually explicit conduct. The NCMEC gave that information to the GBI, which determined that the account user was likely located in Marietta.
The GBI then contacted the Cobb County Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
On Aug. 10, Cobb police said it identified the account user as Bilardello. The phone number associated with the social media account was linked to Bilardello, according to police.
He had been employed by Cobb County for more than 15 years, including a role in the sex offender unit of the sheriff’s office, according to investigators.
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