Warning: Graphic Content
ST. GEORGE, Utah — Detectives served a search warrant at a St. George home Wednesday, where they found “hundreds of images and videos depicting suspected child pornography,” according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office named James Robert Richey, 28, as the primary suspect in the investigation. Richey was already incarcerated for an unrelated case when detectives searched his room, a statement from the Sheriff’s Office said.
The Sheriff’s Office began their investigation after receiving a tip from the Utah Attorney General’s Office’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force in December.
“The tip provided leads related to videos or images involving sex acts with an infant child,” the statement said.
Detectives scanned computers and hard drives found at the residence, including an external hard drive “which contained hundreds of images and videos depicting suspected child pornography,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“Detectives were able to confirm the hard drive contained at least one video described in the ICAC tip, which depicted an approximately 6 month to one year old child being brutally tortured, beaten and object raped,” the statement said.
Richey, who had recently moved from the Las Vegas area to St. George, faces initial charges of ten counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony. Other charges may be filed later.
Richey is being held on $200,000 cash only bail.
