Booking photo of Brandon S. Torson (Courtesy: Cache County Jail)
LOGAN — New evidence is delaying the case against a 33-year-old Logan man suspected of sharing child pornography over the internet. Brandon S. Torson has been in the Cache County Jail since being arrested in July on a warrant.
Torson participated in a virtual hearing in 1st District Court Tuesday morning, appearing by web conference from jail. He has been charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony; and, possession of a controlled substance, a class A misdemeanor.
According to Logan City police, in September 2018 an agent with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force detected a computer that was sharing child pornography through a peer-to-peer network. The computer was traced to a trailer at the Willow Creek Mobile Home Community.
Detectives served a search warrant to the residence. A laptop computer was seized from Torson’s bedroom. The computer was sent to a forensics lab in Salt Lake.
Torson was questioned by detectives. He admitted to searching for photos of children exposing themselves. He also was in possession of methamphetamine.
Due to a backlog at the forensics lab, the computer was not returned to officers until earlier this year. The examination of the hard drive uncovered images of child pornography, several including girls between 6 and 10-years-old.
During Tuesday’s court hearing, public defender Joseph Saxton told the court new evidence has been uncovered in the case. He asked for more time so detectives can investigate the case further. He did not provide specific details about the new evidence.
Judge Edwin Peterson, who was temporarily filling in, said he would grant time. He ordered Torson to appear again in court Sept. 1.
Torson has also been convicted of multiple drug crimes during the past 18-months. He is being held on $22,500 bail. He could face up to life in prison if convicted.
will@cvradio.com