Anne Arundel Co. Man Arrested On Child Pornography Charges

(GAMBRILLS, MD) – A cybercrime investigation that began in Worcester County ended this morning in Anne Arundel County when police arrested a man on charges that he possessed and distributed child pornography.

The suspect is identified as Curtis F. Hughes, 58, of Gambrills, Md. He is charged with one count of distribution of child pornography and three counts of possession of child pornography. He was taken to the Anne Arundel County Detention Center for an initial appearance before a court commissioner.

In March 2016, the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force was forwarded an initial case from a detective with the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office. The detective had been conducting a child pornography investigation on the Internet when he identified an Internet provider address that distributed a file recognized as child pornography. Investigating further, the detective identified the address as a subscriber in Gambrills, Md.

The investigation was continued by the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the State Police Computer Crimes Unit. A search warrant was obtained for a residence, later identified as the suspect’s address. The search warrant was served at the residence this morning by members of the Maryland State Police, Anne Arundel County Police, and Homeland Security Investigations.

The suspect was home when the warrant was served and investigators took custody of computer equipment he uses. An initial forensic analysis by State Police investigators of a desktop computer revealed multiple files associated with child pornography. Hughes was arrested without incident at 9:00 a.m. today for possession and distribution of child pornography.

The Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is comprised of police agencies from around the State. Its primary mission is to protect children from computer-facilitated sexual exploitation. The Task Force works cooperatively with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to provide resources to combat these crimes. Additionally, the Task Force provides community awareness campaigns helping to prevent the spread of these crimes through education.