August 18th, 2016 by WCBC Radio

Maryland State Police today arrested an Allegany County man on charges of distribution and possession of child pornography after a five-month investigation. 

The accused is identified as Patrick Ortiz, 51, of Cumberland, Md.  He is charged with five counts of distribution of child pornography and five counts of possession of child pornography. 

In March 2016, an investigator with the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit initiated an investigation after encountering an individual on the Internet who distributed child pornography files.  The files obtained over the Internet were identified as child pornography.  The investigation led to the identification of an address in Cumberland, Md., where the suspect was located. 

State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigators obtained a search warrant for the residence.  The search warrant was served early this morning by troopers, members of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and investigators from Homeland Security Investigations and the Combined County Criminal Investigations unit. 

Investigators identified the accused as the individual who distributed the child pornography via the Internet.  He was arrested and charged.  Computers found at the home were recovered and will be examined at the State Police Computer Crimes Unit forensic lab.