Computer trace leads to child-porn arrest

HOBBS, N.M. (KRQE) - A statewide crackdown on child pornography has led to another disturbing find.

Police said they caught a computer repairman with hundreds of pictures of little kids being forced to do awful things.

It's a crime often hidden behind closed doors, but investigators with the statewide Internet Crimes against Children Task Force are working to expose it. 

In this case, an investigation sparked in August led detectives to search a home in Hobbs.

Lt. Brian Dunlap of the Hobbs Police Department told KRQE News 13 detectives "recovered some images and some videos of children ranging from ages 3-15 in pornographic acts."

Investigators identified a computer address listed to a home on North Gila in Hobbs as one that had been downloading illegal videos of young children. Police were able to seize several electronic devices from the home.

Gailard Barker, 50, was arrested Monday and charged with 20 counts of felony sexual exploitation of children. Police said at least 717 files of child pornography were found on CDs inside Barker's home and that it's clear the victims are very young.

One concern, Dunlap pointed out, is that the crime doesn't always stop at the computer.

"Absolutely it could lead to other things, and that's a concern we have," Dunlap explained. "A high percentage of time these things do lead to hands-on crimes, and that's something we don't want to happen."

A young man at Barker's home Tuesday made it clear KRQE news cameras weren't welcome. Police said Barker repairs computers, and that the collection of images they found is alarming.
    
In some instances, a 5-year-old is forced to perform sex acts with an adult male.  Images display young children forced to commit acts with one another.

Cases like this hit home for investigators.

"Every one of the investigators up here has children, so yes, it's always difficult when you're dealing with a child whether it be a violent crime or internet pornography, whatever it is, if it involves a child," Dunlap said.  "We like to protect children."

Hobbs police have been members of the statewide task force for about a year, and Dunlap expects to expose a more people.

"This happens more than we think, so we're probably going to see a lot more of it," said Dunlap.

Barker was jailed on a $1 million bond. A judge lowered his bond to $50,000 cash or surety, which Barker came up with and was released.

Police don't believe he had anything to do with making the porn, and they do not know yet where it was made. If convicted on each count, Barker faces up to 180 years in prison.

Dunlap said police have requested the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's office to potentially prosecute other charges in this case.