COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Grandview Heights attorney was arrested Wednesday on federal charges including transporting, receiving and possessing child sex abuse images, according to U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker.
Stephen Chinn, 39, turned himself in and made his first appearance in federal court Wednesday afternoon.
As of Wednesday, Chinn is listed as an active public defender in Franklin County.
According to the three-count federal indictment, Chinn uploaded child sex abuse images online that depicted young children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including sex acts with adults and animals.
Chinn allegedly downloaded and saved other child sexual abuse material between Aug. 11 and Aug. 13.
On Aug. 16, Grandview Heights detectives, along with officials from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, executed a search warrant at Chinn's residence. It is alleged that he possessed a computer containing more than 4,000 child sexual abuse images.
Chinn was initially arrested on Aug. 16 and charged with pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and pandering obscenity. He was released on bond in that matter.
Transporting and receiving child sex abuse images are federal crimes punishable by a mandatory minimum of five years in prison. Both charges also carry a statutory maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, which is the same statutory maximum for possessing child sex abuse images of a prepubescent minor.
Chinn is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court for a detention hearing on Sept. 25.
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