Most people who are arrested and charged for possession or sale of child pornography use they home computers for the criminal activity. In a remarkable variation on this theme, the recent arrest of a former employee of the Louisiana Secretary of State’s office was facilitated by the defendant’s use of his office computer to acquire the illegal images. The man now faces a number of potentially serious criminal charges.
The investigation began when the Office of the Secretary of State noticed suspicious activity on a state issued computer. The Office notified the Special Victims Unit of the Louisiana State Police and identified the individual who allegedly used the computer. The SVU began an investigation of this person and found pornographic images of juveniles on the computer allegedly used by the man in his work for the Secretary of State. The juveniles lived in the area near the man’s home in Farmerville. After obtaining an arrest warrant, State Police detectives arrested the man, and he is now incarcerated in the Union Parish Correctional Center. He is being held on a bond of $25,000.
The defendant has been charged with one count of possession of pornography involving juveniles, a crime under Louisiana law. The investigation is continuing, and further charges are pending. The SVU frequently works with federal agencies in cases of this nature, and the man may be charged with violating federal laws regulating the possession of child pornography.
Child pornography charges are by themselves very serious crimes. Unfortunately, even dismissal of the charges can carry a societal penalty that can follow the accused throughout his life. Anyone facing such charges may benefit from consulting a criminal defense lawyer who is experienced in handling such cases. Such a consultation can provide a helpful evaluation of the facts and law that will determine the case’s outcome and an estimate of the likelihood of obtaining a favorable plea agreement or an outright acquittal.
Source: Monroe News-Star, “Former state worker faces child porn charges; Images found on state computer,” June 23, 2017