Volunteer teacher in Worthington accused of downloading child porn

A volunteer teacher and youth Bible study leader at a Worthington church told detectives who arrested him last month that he considers himself a “collector” of child pornography.

Andrew D. Brown, 49, is facing a single count of distribution of child pornography in U.S. District Court in Columbus.

Brown worked as a volunteer teacher, youth minister and youth Bible study instructor at Worthington Adventist Academy and Worthington Seventhday Adventist Church, according to court records. No children at the church or school are believed to have been victimized by Brown, the court records say.

According to an affidavit filed by a detective in the case, the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children task force got a tip about an Internet address being used to download and share pornography.

Detectives began an investigation and traced the I.P. address to an apartment on Broad Meadows Boulevard, according to court records, where Brown lived.

Detectives executed a search warrant at Brown’s apartment on April 29. When detectives arrived, Brown was at his computer “appearing to be actively downloading and exchanging child pornography,” court records say.

Twenty-one electronic devices were seized from Brown’s apartment with hundreds of images of child sexual abuse material on them, detectives said.

After being taken into custody by the detectives, Brown reportedly said he is in the United States on an expired visa from Jamaica and that he had viewed child pornography while in Jamaica as well.

Brown is currently being held in detention. His next court date, which will determine if he will continue to be held while his case is pending, is scheduled for Monday morning.

bbruner@gannett.com