OTTUMWA —
More details have become available about the Ottumwa Police Department’s investigation into child pornography.
Police searched Mainstreet Movies, located in the 200 block of East Main Street in Ottumwa, on Wednesday. At the time authorities said only that they did seize items and that no charges had been filed against anyone.
The search targeted computer equipment owned by Jacob William Mathis, 31, owner of Mainstreet Movies. It followed an investigation by Sgt. Steve Kovacs of the Ottumwa Police Department.
Police have been careful to say thus far that there is no evidence of production or distribution of child pornography in this case. No charges have been filed yet.
In order to get a search warrant, police must file an affidavit with the courts detailing their investigation and what they hope to find by searching a person’s property. That affidavit becomes public record after the warrant is executed.
The affidavit in this case points to an online file sharing network as the source of the suspect materials. File sharing networks do exactly what the name implies. They allow people to swap digital files between themselves from their homes. Businesses also sometimes use such networks for to speed their work.
In this case the network was linked by Marshalltown police to a child pornography investigation. Police there contacted the OPD when one of the computers involved in the network appeared to be located in Ottumwa.
The affidavit states most of the files linked to the investigation had titles that clearly referenced child pornography. They included one video that involved pre-pubescent girls involved in a sex act.
Kovacs concluded there was reason to seize items from Mathis’ home for further examination.
“The information contained in this affidavit shows that Jacob William Mathis ... is in violation of the Code of Iowa ... by possessing, promoting, and/or disseminating materials depicting minors engaging in prohibited sex acts,” Kovacs wrote.
Police seized a total of 70 items according to lists attached to the warrant. They included video tapes, flash drives and computer equipment. Those items will be examined by forensic experts to determine what precisely is contained on the tapes and computers.
Mainstreet Movies was closed Friday. Calls to the business and to a number listed for Mathis were not returned.
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