Utah man arrested after police follow tip for child pornography

FARMINGTON, Utah — A Utah man was arrested on suspicion of eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor after police said they found videos in his home and on his Dropbox account of child sexual abuse, including rape.

On Wednesday, 42-year-old Christopher Mark Taylor of Farmington, Utah, was arrested for eight counts of exploitation, each a second degree felony. Farmington police, acting on a tip, obtained a warrant to search Taylor’s Dropbox storage account. Investigators found tax records and financial statements for Taylor, photos of his family and his driver license along with illegal files of graphic child pornography.

Police, in probable cause court documents, said they located 582 individual files of child sexual abuse. In the documents, police described some of the shocking video files that KSL TV has chosen not to detail, but that included sexual assault and rape of children estimated to be as young as 2 or 3. The names of the files made it clear what content would be included.

On Jan 5, police stood on the sidewalk in front of what was believed to be Taylor’s home and marked the digital networks available, all secured by passwords. Police also confirmed Taylor’s registration of the home’s utilities and found a car parked in the driveway was also registered in Taylor’s name at the same address. With the information, police obtained a warrant to search Taylor’s house.

On Tuesday, Jan. 12, a task force officer along with assistance from the FBI’s human trafficking division, executed a search warrant on Taylor, his car and his home in Farmington. Part of the search included a home office.

“An encrypted thumb-drive/external hard drive was also found hidden in a picture frame of a painting hanging on the wall of this office. This device was able to be decrypted, and it was observed that it contained videos of child pornography,” that includes at least one more video of child rape. In a “tub” underneath the office desk, a search found sex toys for men. Police said because of the “large amount” of electronics taken, the items are still being processed.

Investigators said the electronic storage previously searched had been accessed from the office computer.

Police also interviewed Taylor’s wife and searched her electronics and found no child pornography. She told police she wasn’t aware of his electronic storage and didn’t know how to use his Dropbox.

Taylor, according to police, would not give a statement or answer questions related to the case.

Court documents claim that with “substantial” evidence of the crimes, Taylor would be a danger to the community. Police observed “numerous children” playing outside his home.