A registered sex offender was arrested for 20 counts of possession of child pornography on Thursday in Marion County.
Marion County Sheriff’s Office authorities and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted a search warrant at 30-year-old Michael Philip Auld’s residence, according to a media release. At the residence, they located 20 files of explicit child pornography on cell phones hidden in Auld’s bedroom, half a gram of cocaine, ten pills of morphine sulfate, .3 grams of methamphetamine and drug equipment in the bedroom as well.
Auld is a registered sex offender who is also on lifetime federal probation for past child pornography charges. On Dec. 12, MCSO detectives, together with the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, received a tip in reference to Auld possessing child pornography. Because of his lifetime federal probation, HSI was notified and they conducted a joint investigation with MCSO. Auld was placed under arrest and transported to Marion County Jail. Bond is set at $110,000.
