OREM, Utah (ABC4 News) – A 26-year-old man from Orem was charged with multiple counts of child exploitation after a tip from Google led investigators to 157 images of child pornography hidden on the man’s SD card.
According to charging documents, in June 2018, the Internet Crimes against Children Task Force (ICAC) received a tip from Google that an individual, identified as Steven Michael Kelly, was uploading and downloading images of apparent child pornography.
Detectives in Utah County were contacted who investigated the photos reported and found 11 images of toddler and prepubescent aged children being sexually abused, according to documents.
A search warrant was executed on the home where Kelly lived but at that time, Kelly was incarcerated at the Utah County Jail on unrelated charges.
During the search of the home, investigators took Kelly’s cellphone and a small SD card that was found in his backpack.
Documents state police discovered 157 additional sexually explicit photos and videos of several different children from toddler to prepubescent in age.
During an interview at the jail, Kelly told detectives it was not his child porn and the only folder on the SD card he was aware of was one with normal pictures and videos of his own children, according to charging documents.
Documents state Kelly said he did not know how the exploitation material ended up on his SD card and the card was from a Galaxy S7 phone that was stolen. When asked if anyone had access to his phone, he told detectives anyone has access to his phone when he is sleeping.
Kelly also told police his Google account was hacked and illegal transactions were made on his Google account. Kelly said he called Google and advised them of the hacking and started a report with them at the same time the original referral for child exploitation came from Google to detectives, according to documents.
Once police told Kelly they would be filing charges, he stopped the interview.
Kelly was charged with 10 second-degree felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
A background check on Kelly shows multiple past arrests for misdemeanor charges of drug possession, criminal mischief and intoxication.
