Texas authorities arrested a sex offender last week after he allegedly dropped a thumb drive containing child pornography outside a police station.
William Catron, 66, underwent a compliance check at the Parker County police station on March 18. Afterward, a visitor discovered a thumb drive near where Catron had recently parked for his check and turned it over to the police station staff, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
A review of the device reportedly uncovered 2,000 images and 100 videos depicting child pornography — as well as several selfies of Catron. Surveillance footage from the police station showed the drive falling out of his pocket while getting his car keys, according to KXAS.
Police subsequently asked Catron to return to the police station, where he was arrested. Catron allegedly confessed to investigators during a recorded interview. KXAS reported that a search of his home produced additional devices that they believe contain child pornography.
“He came, unknowing, he didn’t know what was going on at the time,” Parker County police Sergeant Shane Cartwright told KDFW. “Told us that he had a problem, that he knew that he had a problem, that he’d been praying about it for some time.”
Catron has a 2012 conviction for possession of sexually abusive materials depicting children. He is a lifetime sex offender who is required to check in quarterly.
In the latest case, Catron is charged with first-degree felony possession of child pornography and second-degree felony failure to comply with sex offender registration. His bond was set at $750,000.
“That’s divine intervention,” Cartwright commented, regarding Catron’s arrest. “That’s the man upstairs knowing that you don’t need to be out there running loose.”
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[Featured image: Parker County police]