Maryland State Police arrested a Charles County man on Tuesday after an investigation by the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force uncovered evidence of possession and distribution of child pornography.
David Allen Payne, 57, of Waldorf, Maryland, was charged with five counts of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. He was transported to the Charles County Detention Center before being released on $5,000 bond.
The investigation began in August 2021, when the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit launched an investigation into the possession and distribution of child pornography online. Investigators obtained media files of child pornography being distributed online, leading them to identify Payne as the suspect.
On Tuesday, members of the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force served a search and seizure warrant at Payne’s residence. A preliminary forensic review of his electronic devices revealed multiple child pornography files, leading to his arrest.
The Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit coordinates the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a combined law enforcement effort involving police departments across Maryland. The task force is made possible partly due to grant funds provided by the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth and Victim Services and a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Task force investigators focus on identifying those involved in child pornography via the Internet and other related crimes that victimize children.