A Pearland man has been arrested for sharing multiple photos and videos depicting child pornography with users on the instant messaging app kik.
According to reports from PPD, it all started earlier this year with a Department of Homeland Security special agent in Buffalo, NY. She had been conducting an investigation into users on the instant messaging app kik and their trading of child pornography. One of these users sent the agent a message and they began a back-and-forth conversation.
Over the course of the next several weeks, the agent earned the suspect's trust and he began to reveal some very disturbing details about himself. Besides stating that he had downloaded multiple sexually-explicit photos and videos of children off the internet and trading with other kik users, he also sent images and videos to the agent.
The special agent eventually secured a court order to find out who the user was and where they were located. The account proved to be of a fake person, but the IP address showed a residence here in Pearland. The agent then contacted Detective Arnold with Pearland Police Department's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit so further investigation could be done. Detective Arnold secured a search warrant for the residence associated with the IP address and it was served on Thursday, May 3.
While serving the search warrant, PPD identified and detained 47-year-old August Louis Aimone III. Police believed Aimone to be the user of the kik account in question so he was interviewed by investigators. Aimone subsequently admitted to being the account creator, engaging in discussions about sexually abusing children, and also to downloading and sharing child pornography with other users.
Aimone was arrested and the
Brazoria County District Attorney's Office accepted charges of Possession with the Intent to Distribute and Promote Child Pornography.
Detectives eventually spoke with Aimone's friends and family members who were all oblivious to his actions past and present.
The investigation is still ongoing. All of Aimone's electronic devices were seized during the search and will be examined further. There is a possibility of more charges for him in the future.
