A 37-year-old man from Queensland's Sunshine Coast is expected to face Maroochydore Magistrates Court today (26 February) charged with several offences relating to child abuse material allegedly found on his electronic devices.
The Brisbane Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (BNE JACET) arrested and charged the man with three offences earlier this month, after investigating a report from the United States National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), sent to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE).
The NCMEC report alleged a person suspected to be in Queensland was uploading child abuse material to Google accounts. Police inquiries connected the 37-year-old to the account.
Investigators from BNE JACET executed a search warrant at the man's Meridan Plains home on 11 February 2021.
Officers seized electronic devices for examination and allegedly found child abuse material stored on a mobile phone and a laptop.
The man was arrested and charged with one count of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material and two counts of possessing or controlling child abuse material obtained or accessed using a carriage service.
The potential maximum penalty for these offences is 15 years imprisonment.
AFP Child Protection Operations Detective Superintendent Paula Hudson said the AFP is working around-the-clock with international and domestic partners to bring those who share child abuse material to justice.
"Our officers work tirelessly to hunt down offenders, targeting these abhorrent crimes to ensure these criminals are prosecuted," Detective Superintendent Hudson said.
"Anyone who shares or accesses child sexual abuse material is active in perpetuating the emotional and psychological harm of children."
The Brisbane JACET comprises the AFP and officers from the Queensland Police Service.
Members of the public who have any information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to call Crime stoppers on 1800 333 000.
You can also make a report online by alerting the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation via the Report Abuse button at www.accce.gov.au/report.
