Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced that the Child Exploitation Unit (CEU) of his office arrested 53-year-old John Walter Sickles, of Kempner, Texas, on one count of possession of child pornography, a third-degree felony.
A CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) identified a file of child pornography uploaded on social media and led CEU investigators to Sickles. During the execution of a search warrant at his home, investigators seized multiple digital storage devices, which will be examined by the Digital Forensics Unit of the attorney general’s office. Lampasas County Sheriff’s Office deputies, who assisted with the execution of the search warrant, are also conducting a narcotics investigation after discovering substances believed to be methamphetamine in Sickles’ residence.
Attorney General Paxton’s office works to protect children by using the latest technology to track down some of the most profoundly evil predators online. The CEU proactively seeks out and arrests predators who commit crimes against children using technology and online sources. Attorney General Paxton urges all parents and teachers to become aware of the risks our children face on the internet and take steps to help ensure their children’s safety. If you suspect someone is producing or downloading child pornography you can report it to NCMEC. For more information on cyber safety, please visit: https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/initiatives/cyber-safety/.