According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Indiana, Carl Ross Agnew, 27, is accused of using peer-to-peer software to share photos via the Internet of children engaged in sexual activity.
The charge stems from an investigation that began in September 2010 by the FBI's Cyber Crime Task Force and the Kokomo Police Department.
Agnew was arrested Tuesday in West Lafayette and is being held in federal custody without bond, said Mary Hatton, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
He's scheduled for a detention hearing Thursday, she said.
Information on whether he will hire an attorney or be appointed one will likely be discussed during that hearing.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Agnew -- using the name "Brighteyedboy" -- was logged onto a peer-to-peer network on Sept. 28, 2010, that allowed others to access his shared directories.
An FBI agent connected to Agnew's files and downloaded 234 photos -- 196 of them showing prepubescent boys in various sexual scenarios.
Agnew is further suspected of collecting "thousands" of such photos and storing them on an encrypted computer drive.
Investigators served a search warrant at Agnew's West Lafayette apartment on Tuesday.
Agnew works at a private engineering firm but also served as one of two coaches for West Lafayette's FIRST Robotics team, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
FIRST, an acronym for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," is an organization dedicated to inspiring in students an appreciation for science and engineering.
High school students compete against other teams using machines they've built.
The seventh annual Boilermaker regional of the FIRST Robotics competition is scheduled for next month at Purdue University.
As of 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, e-mails sent to members and representatives of the West Lafayette robotics team seeking comment were not responded to.
0 comments:
Post a Comment