A veteran Capitol Police officer was arrested Monday outside of his Maryland home and charged with five counts of possession of child pornography.
The Maryland State Police arrested Jared M. Lemon, 42, shortly before 5 a.m., according to the Capitol Police. Lemon, who has been with the department since 2005 and served in the Uniformed Services Bureau, is currently on administrative leave.
Lemon, of Owings, Md., is being held in jail without bond on the five misdemeanor charges, according to court records. He has a bail hearing set for Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. in District Court of Maryland for Calvert County.
The Maryland State Police said the investigation was started in December 2022. The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which helps state and local law enforcement combat online child exploitation, also received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an online user, subsequently identified as Lemon, uploaded suspected child pornography, the state police said.
An analysis of electronic devices that were seized from Lemon’s house when they served a search warrant revealed evidence of child pornography, according to the Maryland State Police.
The Capitol Police said it learned about the investigation regarding Lemon in December 2022, and “immediately revoked” his police powers. Lemon was also reassigned to administrative duties during the investigation, a post in which he would not interact with the public.
After the completion of the criminal case, the department’s Office of Professional Responsibility, which investigates officer misconduct, will start an administrative investigation, the Capitol Police said.
The post Capitol Police officer arrested on child pornography charges appeared first on Roll Call.
