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SALT LAKE CITY — Formal charges were filed Thursday against a Sandy man accused of possessing thousands of images of child pornography, including some that he made himself, according to investigators.
Austin Kyle Stewart, 32, was charged in 3rd District Court by the Utah Attorney General's Office with sodomy on a child, a first-degree felony; and 11 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony.
The investigation began in October when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received an alert from Google that five pictures of child pornography had been uploaded their Google Photos and Drive accounts, according to charging documents.
Agents with the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children task force traced the pictures to Stewart and served a search warrant on his home on Tuesday, the charges state.
Stewart told investigators that "he has been viewing child pornography for the last 14 years and searching for child pornography on the dark web. Stewart further admitted having child pornography on the Google account and told me ICAC agents would also find child pornography on his electronic devices," according to charging documents.
Approximately 8,000 images of child pornography were found on Stewart's phone and tablet, the charges state. He also admitted to taking pictures and sexually abusing a young girl, the charges state.
