Editor’s Note: This story includes information about alleged sexual abuse of children. If you know or suspect that anyone under 18 is being sexually or physically abused, call the Texas child abuse hotline at 1-800-252-5400. To learn more about how to identify signs of child abuse or neglect, click here.
Court documents reveal details surrounding the arrest in Abilene of a former Big Brothers Big Sisters staff member for possession of child pornography.
Joel Michael Paris, 39, was free Thursday from Taylor County Jail on a $100,000 bond for a charge of possession of child pornography with bond conditions regarding children, the internet and material containing nudity, according to online jail and court records.
The second degree felony is punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000 in case of a conviction.
Paris has entered a not guilty plea, court documents show.
He was taken into custody May 7 after detectives investigated a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to a police affidavit and arrest report filed July 2.
Abilene police found he had uploaded a video of a girl between the ages of 12 and 14 engaging in sexual conduct, according to allegations in court documents. Paris was questioned and told police he shared multiple child pornography images through Discord in Taylor County.
Discord is a free messaging app billed as serving gamers and other online users, and Taylor County was the sole location mentioned in the police affidavit.
Bond conditions for Paris
Paris was booked into the Taylor County Jail, and on the following day, he was brought before Justice of the Peace Mike McAuliffe.
The JP set three specific conditions for Paris’ bond before his release:
Paris bailed out of jail May 8, online jail records show.
Anyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Taylor County District Attorney’s Office has yet to indict Paris on the charge, Assistant DA Tyler Vinson said Wednesday.
On the day of his arrest, the Reporter-News reported that Paris was arrested at his — now former — Big Brothers Big Sisters workplace in Abilene.
Paris had listed himself as working at Big Brothers Big Sisters Abilene on Facebook. His LinkedIn profile had him as director of volunteer recruitment at BBBS Lone Star.
A search of archived web pages at Web.Archive.Org confirmed Paris’ title at BBBS Lone Star as late as April 8.
BBBS Lone Star serves West Central Texas, Wichita County, Dallas, Tarrant County and Houston.
In his social media, Paris listed Oklahoma Christian University under education.
BBBS has said the allegations against Paris have nothing to do with his former role at BBBS or any children in the program, based on the initial police report, ARN reported May 8.
On the evening of his arrest, the nonprofit organization issued a statement saying Paris no longer worked for the nonprofit.
“We have been informed of the serious allegations against Mr. Joel Paris,” BBBS said in the statement. “Big Brothers Big Sisters Abilene is committed to the safety of our children first and foremost and has cooperated fully with the authorities regarding this matter.”
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Arrest info released in child pornography case against former Abilene BBBS worker
Reporting by Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
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