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Grove City man pleads guilty to child pornography charges

Neil R. Brown admitted to receiving and possessing child pornography and to capturing nude images from customers' phones.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 27, 2026, 11:35 a.m. ET
A Grove City man guilty in U.S. District Court on August 27, 2026, to receiving and possessing child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio. Neil R. Brown, 41, worked at multiple cell phone stores in Columbus. Court documents state that Brown, while employed by Cellular Sales, took female customers' phones and searched them for sexual or illicit content, capturing the content on his own phone. Brown admitted to receiving child pornography files and to capturing nude photos and videos from customers' phones. A cyber tipline report in January 2025 led investigators to search Brown's digital accounts and devices. Investigators found more than 75 images and videos of child pornography on Brown's phone, including material of prepubescent minors approximately 7 to up to 9 years old. Brown also paid virtual currency on an app to receive videos of child sexual abuse material. Agents recovered 59 sexual images and videos of Cellular Sales customers that Brown had captured. Brown was charged federally in December 2025. Receipt of child pornography carries a penalty of five to 20 years in prison, and possession carries up to 20 years. The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II, FBI Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie, and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative.

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  1. Version 127 Aug 2026, 15:35current

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