By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
A 48-year-old administrative officer for the DEA has been indicted in Minneapolis for producing child pornography involving a 15-year-old boy.
Scott James Whitcomb of Zimmerman, Minn., was indicted Thursday in federal court and charged with coercing a 15-year-old boy into engaging in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing pornography, authorities said. He remains in custody.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Whitcomb’s alleged criminal behavior was discovered last Aug. 4 while a Minneapolis police officer was conducting an online undercover operation into people sharing child pornography through peer-to-peer networks.
The Sherburne County Sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at Whitcomb’s residence, where they seized two computers containing images of the 15-year-old boy, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
He was arrested on Dec. 20, and before he could post bail, federal authorities took him into custody, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
DEA spokesman Will Taylor told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that Whitcomb did not carry a gun and did mostly administrative work. He said Whitcomb worked for DEA for at least 10 years and resigned Dec. 31 after his arrest.
Taylor said the DEA was in the process of taking administrative action when he resigned, according to the Star Tribune.
OTHER STORIES OF INTEREST
- Trial Date Could Be Set for Underwear Bomber (AP)
- Detroit Precinct Shooter Was Suspect in Kidnap, Rape of Teen Girl (MLive.com)
- Az Shooter Pleads Not Guilty (AP)
- Father of Border Patrol Agent Surrenders in Calif. (AP)
- Montel Williams Seek Medical Marijuana Bill in Md. (AP)
- Ex-Minn. Gov. Jesse Ventura Sues Over Airport Body Scans (AP)
- White House Lawyer Picked to be Solicitor General (AP)
- FBI Still Searching for Tips in MLK Parade Bomb Case (KREM)
