An Albion man was arrested on child pornography charges after two people found a smart phone with evidence on it in the trash.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Lamarque and Aaron Mango say on September 3, 2016, two people from Medina found a Samsung Centura phone in the trash in front of 726 South Main Street. This address is the former residence of the defendant, Christopher Ridder.
Officials say one of the people who found the phone charged it the next day and opened the Facebook app, which was connected to Ridder's account.
Lamarque and Mango say the phone also had pictures of people the person who charged the phone knew and 75 other images of young boys in various states of dress, such as in bathing suits and wearing underwear. Some pictures were naked images of different boys.
The two people who found the phone turned it in to the Village of Medina Police Department.
Officials say law enforcement officers searched the phone further and found a Facebook Messenger conversation in which Ridder wrote, "I seen a few boys already at bout 10-12 with nice lil butts and bulge in shorts mmmmm." Officials say the conversation spanned several days as Ridder and the other person talked about prepubescent boys.
Officers found another Facebook Messenger conversation between Ridder and another person. This time, Ridder wrote, "I see boys all the time wishing I could love one (guy tht is) lol...I c very cute lil boys all the time at walmart."
The U.S. Attorney's Office says an undercover officer logged into a Facebook account and contacted Ridder through Messenger. During the conversation, Ridder said he lived in Albion and described himself saying, "im very down to earth... very open minded...biggest fantasy is to be with a bf laying on a blanket nude in the woods." The officer replied, "sounds like boy scout retreat."
According to law enforcement, Ridder responded, "I been a boy scout... and yes... had a friend in it tht we messed around in our tent.. .I was 13 he was 12." The officer wrote back, "that's wild, you ever still think about that now." Ridder wrote, "Ya... I wish I can have tht chance again with a bf."
Officials say the conversation continued until Ridder said, "Im a ped just like you. I know exactly how u get or feel...These laws... I hate them."
Ridder appeared in court for the first time Wednesday afternoon. He is being held pending his detention hearing on February 1.
This is a result of an investigation by the FBI.
