LA MARQUE, Texas – A former employee of the city of La Marque’s internet technology department has been charged with possession of child pornography following an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Brandon Douglas Haynes, 30, is charged with three counts of possession of child pornography, a third-degree felony that carries a punishment of up to 10 years in prison. He was released from the Galveston County Jail after posting $130,000 bond.
The investigation began about two months ago when a Pearland police detective working with the task force discovered an internet site that appeared to be offering child pornography.
Investigators said the detective observed files from the site being downloaded to an unidentified internet address.
According to court records, that IP address was found to be registered to Haynes at an apartment in the 2000 block of Scott Street in La Marque.
Police executed a search warrant at the address on Jan. 8 and questioned Haynes.
Haynes allegedly confessed that he had downloaded the files, and told police they could find child pornography on his personal computer and on a flash drive attached to his cellphone.
According to Colleen Merritt with the city of La Marque, Haynes was fired from his job with the internet technology department the same day.
Police found no evidence Haynes was accessing child porn sites from city computers.
Merritt said digital safeguards are in place to prevent city employees from accessing forbidden websites.
“We do due diligence by taking precautions to prevent any unauthorized access to (forbidden) websites,” she said.
Merritt said Haynes' work computer was checked the day of his arrest and that no illicit material was found on it.