Trevor Fraley, 24, was arrested last week and has been held without bond awaiting a preliminary hearing today on other, unrelated charges in Middletown Municipal Court. That hearing has been cancelled, according to court documents.
Butler County Sheriff’s Office officials made the request that Fraley be held without bond and said they were continuing to investigate “hundreds” of images involving multiple police agencies.
According to the indictment, Fraley, on or about Nov. 13, 2018, produced material that shows a minor performing or being involved in sexual activity.
Fraley was arrested on Nov. 13 in the 900 block of Crawford Street in Middletown. A bag was located next to where he was lying at the time of the arrest. The bag contained a computer that was seized after a search warrant was executed, according to court documents.
A forensic investigation showed that Fraley possessed at least two files containing nudity-oriented material or performance involving a minor on his computer, the documents said.
Fraley originally faced two counts of illegal use of minor in nudity-oriented material or performance, both fifth-degree felonies. But Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said more charges are expected, and the could be as many as 100.
“This is probably one of the largest internet crimes involving children and children molestation that I have ever seen,” Jones said. “This is what people have nightmares (about) or what you think is the most cruelest you have ever seen is what we have seen on video.”
A forensic investigation of the computer was conducted by Miami University Police Department Detective Walt Schneider, who specializes in retrieving data and evidence from computers and cell phones. He discovered hundreds of videos involving children, Jones said.
Jones said the images involve children as young as eight months old and 2 years old.
“We have not hundreds, but it appears thousands (of images),” Jones said.
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