Ganado man indicted for child pornography
'Questionable' photos and videos allegedly found on computer rented by 29-year-old CR 239 resident
By BRENDA SOMMER news@journal-spectator.com

A Ganado man was indicted on numerous child pornography charges after an electronics store allegedly found suspicious files on a computer he'd rented.

On April 1, a Wharton County Grand Jury indicted Scotty Russell McLain, 29, of 279 CR 239 in Ganado on 13 counts of possession of child pornography.

According to El Campo Police Lt. Terry Stanphill, the charges came about after a call from an El Campo store.

"This was a rent-to-own computer," Stanphill said.

"This individual kept it for one year and turned it back in last July.

"An employee of the store was preparing the computer for resale when they found some questionable photos or videos on there they thought were child pornography.

"They called me and I came down, and agreed, and seized the computer."

On July 30, Stanphill took the machine to the Texas Attorney General's Cyber Crimes Unit in Austin.

"They have forensic experts that can do an exam of the hard drive and computer, and can even recover deleted items," he said.

"The investigator found one image and eight movies that he believed were clearly child porn, then he found four movies that were questionable.

"By looking, they probably were under 17 years old, but that can be hard to prove sometimes."

Stanphill said the AG's investigators sent images from the movies to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, which recognized one child.

"They matched one to a girl found to be exploited by her father," he said.

"She was in several of these movies, and they found her to be probably around 11 years old when these movies were made."

Stanphill got an official report from the AG's Cyber Crimes Unit in November, and in early December McLain came in voluntarily for questioning.

Stanphill said McLain first denied knowing about the items, but later said he came upon it accidentally while looking for adult porn.

The lieutenant got a warrant for McLain's arrest and he was taken into custody on Dec. 26, 2007.

Possession of child pornography is a third-degree felony punishable by 2-10 years in state prison and/or a fine up to $10,000 if he was found guilty.

Stanphill said this is the fourth case of child porn being found on a computer he's dealt with in about five years.