Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced that the Child Exploitation Unit (CEU) of his office arrested a Waco man on three counts of possession of child pornography, a third-degree felony. If convicted, Joseph Albert Nickel could face up to 30 years in prison.
The 46-year-old was arrested after investigators discovered child pornography was uploaded to an online storage account that he accessed. A digital storage device containing images of child pornography and several other devices were seized for examination by the attorney general’s Digital Forensics Unit. During an interview, Nickel admitted he downloaded, viewed and shared child pornography over the Internet.
The Texas Attorney General’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/.