A Staunton man is facing multiple charges for child pornography and for one obscene item that allegedly portrayed a sexual act with an animal.
Bruce Edward Cason, 33, was arrested with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals in Amarillo, Texas, and he was extradited to Staunton on Friday, according to police.
He is being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail.
Cason was charged with 18 counts of knowingly possessing and distributing child pornography and one count of knowingly possessing an obscene item depicting a person engaged in sexual contact with an animal.
According to the online court system, the offenses occurred on Jan. 12. He is due in court on May 18 for a preliminary hearing. Cason has been assigned a public defender. The court system also shows Cason with one traffic infraction in 2024 but does not show that he has faced serious charges in Virginia in the past.
The arrest comes as part of a joint investigation between the Staunton Police Department and the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children task force.
The investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children shared a tip with the Staunton PD regarding the activity.
The investigation is ongoing.
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