Waco, TX – 18 January 2017 – The repossession of electronics led to an arrest of a man previously convicted of a child pornography charge after a rental company found several files containing child pornography on a cellphone in the man’s possession in November, Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said.
A U.S. Marshals task force arrested Patrick Garcia, 36, on Tuesday after a lease-to-own business repossessed a cellphone and an iPad from another man in November. When employees went to the lessee’s home to retrieve the electronics, the man told them he had given the property to his brother, Garcia, who was staying at the Scottish Inns, 500 Interstate 35.
“Investigators went to Patrick Garcia’s residence at the Scottish Inns, and the employees were able to obtain the iPad and phone back from him,” Swanton said. “Patrick was very reluctant in giving the cellphone up and actually tried to stop them when they had it in their possession, but (employees) were able to get the property back to the store.”
Swanton said employees were familiar with Garcia, who was convicted on another child pornography charge in 2015 after a rental company found child pornography on a phone he had. Garcia was sentenced to five years probation, according to Texas Department of Public Safety records.
After repossessing the devices in November, employees suspected they may have contained inappropriate material and called police, Swanton said.
Officers collected the electronics and found several videos of child pornography with young children and animals.
Marshals and Waco police Crimes Against Children detectives arrested Garcia at the Scottish Inns on six third-degree felony charges of possession of child pornography. Swanton said additional charges may be pending.
Garcia remained in McLennan County Jail on Wednesday with bonds listed at $120,000.
Source: Waco Trib.com
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