Another local man busted for child pornography. This comes after a shocking string of child sex abuse arrests in our area. Frank E. Andrews, 39, of South Webster is charged with 26 counts related to child porn.
Scioto County Sheriff Marty Donini said his office received a call on June 28 from the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The task force had information about a possible child pornography case.
When Captain John Murphy met with out-of-town law enforcement officials, he learned that more than 100 images of suspected child pornography were uploaded onto a device belonging to the suspect.
The Bust
This afternoon, detective served a search warrant at a Jackson Street home in South Webster. Officers confiscated computers and cell phones at the scene.
They arrested Frank E. Andrews. Andrews is held in the Scioto County Jail on a $145,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Portsmouth Municipal Court on Monday.
This is only the most recent arrest for child pornography and trafficking in our County.
Kids Trafficked For Pills
Larry Dean Porter of Wheelersburg was charged last week in connection with a sex trafficking ring parents traded sex with little boys and girls in exchange for pills.
Porter is charged with 13 counts including:
- Conspiring to sex traffic children (15 years up to life in prison)
- Attempting to sex traffic children (15 years up to life)
- Producing child pornography (15 to 30 years)
- Possessing child pornography (up to 10 years)
- Conspiring to obstruct a child sex trafficking investigation (up to 25 years)
- Conspiring to witness tamper (up to 20 years)
Eight other adults are charged in the federal indictment, including Porter’s daughters, friends, and parents who sold their children’s bodies to him in exchange for pills.
Phone Loaded With Porn
Two young employees of Cell-Tech Express in Wheelersburg were called heroes after they helped catch a man who brought a phone loaded with child pornography in for repair at the end of May.
The pair kept Michael Zornes, 36, busy until the officer could arrive on the scene to arrest him.
.Zornes was charged with multiple counts of rape and pandering sexually-oriented material involving a minor. The victim is an 11-year-old girl that authorities said Zornes had abused for years.
Under Investigation
The Sheriff said that Andrews is still under investigation and that more charges will be sent to the grand jury on a later date. Anyone with information about the case should contact Detective Jodi Conkel at 740-351-1091.
