The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office says the report of a local child pornography victim helped led to the arrest of a Pennsylvania man with around 165,000 files of child porn.

A release from the sheriff’s office said Pennsylvania authorities arrested 29-year-old Christopher Steven Foster after searching his residence and finding incriminating evidence. The search and arrest stemmed in part from a report received by the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office’s Family Violence Unit on November 30, which shared how a juvenile had been solicited for sexually explicit videos and photos by an adult male.

The local incident, which the sheriff’s office said began when the minor was playing online video games, included the juvenile and another minor ultimately sending the explicit files through the social media sites Discord and Snapchat. The adult also sent the pair money in exchange for the videos and photos.

Once Chatham County authorities identified Foster as a suspect, the local investigators reached out to the Pennsylvania State Police’s Northeast Computer Crimes Unit and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office in Pennsylvania. Those two agencies conducted the search on December 27.

Christopher Steven Foster, 29. (Photo via the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.)

Investigators charged Foster with 500 counts of felony second-degree child pornography and 500 counts of felony third-degree child pornography. He also faces one count of felony dissemination of child pornography, one count of felony dissemination of photographs, videotapes, computer depictions and films, two felony counts of photographing, videotaping, depicting on computer or filming sex acts, two misdemeanor counts of corruption of minors, two felony counts of unlawful contact with a minor, and two felony counts of criminal use of communication facility.

In its release on Thursday, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office shared safety tips recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice for juveniles and their families to keep in mind while online. They are encouraged to discuss internet safety and develop an online safety plan together before children begin interacting with others online — including alerting an adult if anyone asks them to engage in sexual or inappropriate activities. It is also recommended that children avoid sharing personal information, photos or videos online in public forums, and for privacy settings or parental controls be put into place for online games, apps, social media sites, and devices.

In Wayne County, PA, authorities set Foster’s bail at $200,000. He made his first appearance in court on the child pornography charges on January 3.

 

Photo via Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.

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