Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that the Child Exploitation Unit (CEU) of his office arrested 57-year-old David Ray Gardner, of Brady, last week on two counts of Possession of Child Pornography, a third-degree felony. Gardner could face up to 10 years in prison per charge if convicted.
Following a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), CEU investigators executed a search warrant at Gardner’s residence where digital storage devices were seized that will be examined by the attorney general’s Digital Forensics Unit. During an interview, Gardner admitted to operating and storing child pornography on the account reported to NCMEC. Gardner was subsequently arrested and transported to the McCulloch County Jail.
The Texas Attorney General’s Office works to protect children by using the latest technology to track down some of the most profoundly evil predators online. The CEU proactively seeks out and arrests predators who commit crimes against children using technology and online sources. Attorney General Paxton urges all parents and teachers to become aware of the risks our children face on the internet and take steps to help ensure their children’s safety. If you suspect someone of producing or downloading child pornography you can report it to NCMEC. For more information on cyber safety, please visit: https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/initiatives/cyber-safety/.