Savannah men charged with child sex crimes, 1 of the cases dropped by the courts

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - UPDATE SUNDAY 8:06 P.M.: Court records reveal the charges against Wendell Pirez Lanier were dismissed by the Judge.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Three Savannah men were arrested recently, all accused of various sex crimes involving children.

54-year-old Marty Sanderson was arrested by the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and is charged with permitting a minor to engage or assist a person in sexually explicit conduct for a visual medium.

He has a lengthy criminal history in Chatham County. This is his 22nd arrest. Mostly for past drug charges and many driving violations.

His case will begin in front of the judge in Recorder’s Court.

The Sheriff’s Office in Chatham County also arrested a different man, also on crimes involving a child.

38-year-old Franklin Thorpe was arrested by deputies on charges of enticing a minor for indecent purposes this week.

He’s being held on no bond while he awaits his first appearance.

Another man was arrested by the Savannah Police on charges including child sex crimes.

45-year-old Wendell Pirez Lanier was facing charges of aggravated sodomy, with force or if the person is under 10 years old & kidnapping.

Per our update at the top of this article, Pirez’s charges were dropped by the court.

We will provide updates in these cases as they become available.