Parker County sex offender arrested after dropping child porn thumb drive in police parking lot
William Raymond Catron (Source: Parker County Sheriff)
WEATHERFORD, Texas - A routine compliance check for a registered sex offender ended in a first-degree felony arrest after the man accidentally dropped a thumb drive containing child pornography in the sheriff’s office parking lot, authorities said.
William Raymond Catron faces new charges
What we know:
William Raymond Catron was taken into custody by Parker County Sheriff’s investigators after a visitor found the device on the ground and turned it over to personnel.
According to Sheriff Russ Authier, Catron had just completed a mandated appointment to verify his registration information on March 18. Surveillance footage from the exterior of the building showed the thumb drive falling from Catron's pocket as he reached for his car keys.
When investigators examined the drive to identify its owner, they discovered more than 2,000 images and 100 videos of child pornography, along with "selfie" photographs of Catron.
"A twist of fate and bad decisions would lead to his arrest," Authier said in a statement.
Catron returned to the sheriff’s office at the request of investigators, where officials say he provided a full confession. A subsequent search of his home, conducted with the assistance of Weatherford Police and the Texas Department of Public Safety, uncovered additional electronic devices.
On March 20, Judge Craig Towson issued further warrants against Catron, including possession of child pornography depicting the sexual assault of a child under 10 and failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements.
Catron is being held in the Parker County Jail on a $750,000 bond.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Parker County Sheriff's Office.