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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Child Porn Found On Computer

Child pornography was discovered in a stockpile of sexually explicit photographs downloaded into the Eastern Washington University computer system, authorities said.

Twenty-five of the 464 pornographic images stored in the directory of EWU computer technician Mark Powell depict young girls, according to District Court records made public Thursday.

Dr. Alan Hendrickson, a Spokane pediatrician and expert on evaluating child porn, told investigators the girls ranged in age from 9 to 15 years old, the records state.

The photos depicted the children engaged in various sexual acts or posing nude.

Authorities are still building their case against Powell, who is suspected of downloading the porn from the Internet while at his campus office. Powell, who has worked at the university since 1991, has not been arrested.

He has been on paid leave since the investigation began last month, said Stefanie Pettit, EWU spokeswoman. Powell earns $3,800 per month.

Powell has refused to comment on the investigation. A woman answering the telephone at his house Thursday referred questions to Powell’s attorney, Craig Smith of Spokane.

Smith was not available for comment.

A computer programmer running a routine maintenance check on the EWU computer network last month found suspicious files in Powell’s directory.

Police were called after a supervisor discovered the files contained pornography. Investigators seized the files.

A judge later granted permission for authorities to search Powell’s north Spokane house after EWU officials told them he might have access to child porn there.

Detectives from the university, Spokane police and Washington State Patrol searched the West Garfield home on July 29.

They collected 16 items, including nearly 20 computer diskettes, a keyboard and monitor, a videotape and a disk drive.

It is the second time in a year an EWU employee has been investigated for possession of child porn.

Last year, investigators found nearly 4,000 pornographic pictures stored on the university-owned computer of geology professor Russell C. Boggs.

Boggs, who resigned last August, pleaded guilty to possession and receipt of child pornography earlier this month and was sentenced to seven months in prison.

, DataTimes