PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, OH (Toledo News Now) - Local police continue to investigate after a man was suspected of having child pornography.
On Tuesday morning, the Ohio Attorney General's Office investigated multiple child pornography cases across the state in "Operation Download." Police raided a manufactured home in a community off Tracy Road, where a man was suspected of downloading and sharing Internet-based child pornography.
Perrysburg Township police are assisting the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in the case. Authorities have seized one computer and several other electronic devices so far.
"We're looking for all types of electronic devices, to include computers, cell phones, things of that nature," said Savalas Kidd, with BCI.
According to neighbors, the man has been living there for less than a year and kept to himself. Still, they watched the raid, horrified that someone from their community could be accused of possessing and sharing child pornography.
"That's pretty sick. There's kids all around here. I mean, having kids of my own, you don't know what to think when people come around here like that," said T.J. Pratter.
Investigators say they have been undercover monitoring the suspect for months. A spokesperson from the Ohio Attorney General's Office says the pornography showed children younger than 11. Investigators will be examining still images, as well as downloaded pictures and video.
The suspect was questioned by authorities and released. The Wood County Prosecutor's Office will determine if and when felony charges will be filed.
Residents nearby say they will keep a closer eye on their kids.
"Knowing that now, my kids will be staying away from this area. People like that shouldn't be allowed in this community," said Pratter.
On Tuesday afternoon, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine released information on a multi-jurisdictional effort called "Operation Download," to stop the spread of child pornography.
Agents with the Attorney General's Crimes Against Children Initiative, which operates as a division of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, simultaneously served search warrants at homes in Hamden, Perrysburg Township, and Mentor, Ohio. Each location had been identified by CAC investigators as a site where child pornography was illegally possessed and downloaded. Although the criminal conduct was the same, the individual cases are not related.
"Downloading and sharing child pornography is not a victimless crime. The children in the photographs are victimized each time someone views an image," said DeWine. "These predators need to know that we are aggressively coming after them."
One person was arrested in the raids, and charges are expected to be filed against additional suspects.
DeWine announced the Crimes Against Children Initiative in late 2011. It involves more than a dozen agents and staff experts who focus specifically on assisting local law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting criminals who victimize children. Since early 2012, those assigned to the CAC Initiative have assisted law enforcement in 54 counties on 170 cases, including allegations of child pornography, rape, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking, and sex offender registry violations.
"It is important that we do everything we can to protect our kids," said DeWine. "Every child should be able to enjoy their youth without being targeted by predators."
Investigators with local sheriff's offices and police departments assisted the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force in executing the search warrants.
