OWINGS, MD – Jared Michael Lemon, a 42-year-old Calvert County man and an officer with the U.S. Capitol Police Department, has been charged by the Maryland State Police with five counts of possession of child pornography.
Lemon, of Owings, Maryland, was arrested without incident around 5 a.m. by state troopers and is currently being held at the Calvert County Detention Center with no bond set.
The investigation leading to Lemon’s arrest commenced in December 2022 by troopers from the Maryland State Police Prince Frederick Barrack probing an alleged possession of child pornography. Additionally, a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children was received by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The cyber tip implicated an online user, later identified as Lemon, who had uploaded suspected child pornography.
The Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit, in collaboration with troopers from Prince Frederick Barrack and Homeland Security Investigations, acted upon this information and served a search warrant on Lemon’s residence in December 2022. The search resulted in the seizure of electronic devices, which were later submitted for forensic analysis. The subsequent analysis reportedly uncovered evidence confirming the possession of child pornography.
The Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit oversees the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. This task force represents a unified law enforcement initiative involving various police departments across Maryland. It concentrates on identifying individuals engaged in child pornography activities on the internet, along with other related offenses that exploit children. The task force’s activities are partly funded by grants from the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth and Victim Services, and a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.
While charges have been laid against Lemon, the investigation remains ongoing, reflecting the seriousness and complexity of such cases. Law enforcement agencies urge the public to report any suspicious activities related to child exploitation.
The arrest and charges serve as a grave reminder that crimes involving child exploitation are not limited to any particular profession or demographic and reiterate the imperative need for constant vigilance and robust law enforcement to protect the vulnerable in society.
Further updates will be provided as the investigation continues to unfold.