Two men from Batesville in separate cases have been charged with downloading explicit material involving children.
An Arkansas State Police investigation was initiated in March 2020 after a Cyber Tipline Report was forwarded to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in reference to apparent child pornography being downloaded. Information in that report included an email address, numerous IP addresses, and approximately 300 images of child pornography downloaded to a Google Drive account along with 80 additional Cyber Tipline Reports related to or associated with the listed email and Google Drive account. A warrant was executed to search the residence of Aaron L. McKenzie 30, of Batesville.
Evidence seized from the search included a cell phone, a computer , and six compact discs.
Authorities stated that McKenzie said to authorities in an interview that he did in fact download and view child pornography on his cell phone and that his desktop computer contained child pornography.
McKenzie is facing 35 counts of unlawfully distributing, possessing, or viewing of matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, a Class C felony.
He was arrested and taken to the Independence County Jail Thursday on a $100,000 bond.
The second case according to ASP was also based on another Cyber Tip Report received from Google.
Information in the report contained the suspected individual’s mobile phone number, email address, multiple IP addresses, and approximately 99 pornographic images of minor females according to reports.
The listed phone number belonged to Jonathon L. Reynolds, 30, of Batesville, according to authorities.
Records were obtained from Google and Reynolds’ phone provider. Authorities were able to determine Reynolds was within Independence County when 35 images of child pornography were downloaded on Oct. 16, 2019.
Reynolds was arrested and booked into the Independence County Jail on Sept. 14, on a $100,000 bond. He is charged with 35 counts of distributing, possessing, or viewing of matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child.