Authorities found numerous images of child pornography in his home.
Frederick, Md (KM) A Frederick man is charged with child pornography offenses. The Sheriff’s Office says Shawn Behal, 24, was taken into custody on Thursday after the Cyber Crimes Task Force served a search warrant on his home in the 5200 block of Ivywood Drive South.
Authorities say Behal admitted to deputies of using seven different e-mail addresses to download and possess large quantities of child pornography from various websites. He also said he saved a lot of child pornography on hard drives located in his bedroom.
The Sheriff’s Office says a forensic examination of the electronic devices revealed a large amount of image of child pornography. Some of the images featured children between the ages of three and seven, according to authorities.
Between January 22nd, 2021 and July 27th, 2021, a detective assigned to the Cyber Crimes Task Force investigated 71 cyber tips associated with four of Behal’s e-mail addresses, and found more than 2,130 images of child erotica.
“These investigations are some of the most important work being done in Frederick County in the fight against child exploitation. The members of the Frederick County Cyber Crimes Task Force work tirelessly to identify, charge and prosecute these offenders,” said Lt. Andy Crone, the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Section commander, in a statement.. “The local and federal partnerships have made this task force extremely successful in their initiatives, further protecting our community.”
The State’s Attorney’s Office says Behal was in Court on Friday for a bond hearing. Judge William Simmons ordered Behal be released on $50,000 unsecured bond. But he was placed on home confinement, and can only leave for work, legal and medical reasons, and four hours a week for gathering essential items. Behal was also ordered not to use any electronic devices. The State had argued he be held without bond.
Anyone who has additional information on this case is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 301-600-1046, and reference case # 21-075216. Those citizens who may have been exposed to Child Sexual Material can report it to www.cybertipline.org.
By Kevin McManus