Local man takes police hiring test, allegedly admits to viewing child porn
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POCATELLO — A man going through the application process to become an Idaho law enforcement officer was arrested after allegedly admitting to having viewed child pornography.
Talon Chase Beattie, 24, has been charged with two felony counts of possession of sexually exploitative material, court documents show, after multiple videos of sex acts involving children were found on his phone.
Investigators with the Idaho Office of the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit served a warrant at Beattie’s home on the 4800 block of Mohawk Street on Dec. 15, according to an affidavit of probable cause. The warrant was issued following an April polygraph pre-test.
During the pre-test for entrance into the Idaho Police Officers Standards and Training (POST) Academy at Idaho State University, Beattie allegedly admitted to viewing child pornography.
While serving the warrant, investigators found a phone they identified as Beattie’s. When the phone was examined, investigators uncovered multiple videos which were described as being “readily accessible” to the phone’s user.
Investigators viewed two of the videos.
The first was described as showing a man and “a prepubescent female child between the ages of approximately 9 to 11 years-old” engaged in a sex act. Neither the man’s or girl’s face were visible, the affidavit says.
The second video allegedly showed a girl, estimated to be between the ages of 10 and 12, removing her clothes until she is fully naked.
Beattie was arrested. He refused to answer questions, instead requesting the presence of an attorney, the affidavit says.
He was released on his own recognizance with an electronic monitoring device.
Though Beattie has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If he is found guilty, Beattie could face up to 20 years in prison.
He is scheduled to appear in court before Magistrate Judge Scott Axline for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 14.