A Woodbridge man who admitted downloading and distributing child pornography pleaded guilty Wednesday.
Federal prosecutors say Dennis Craig Bell, 55, was a U.S. Capitol Police officer when on Dec. 14, 2009 he used a peer-to-peer internet connection to share pornographic images depicting children.
A Manassas detective found the images, which led to a search of Bell’s home where authorities seized several computers and thumb drives.
On those pieces of computer equipment were 165 videos and 103 photographs of child pornography, federal officials stated.
Court documents show Bell said he was trying to build a library of child pornography after he read reports about how readily available it was on the internet. He also told investigators he wanted to see how readily available it was online, in the event his children download pornographic images, court documents show.
Bell could be sentenced up to 20 years in prison when he once again appears before a judge Oct. 22.
Information from insidenova.com.
