Richmond police officer faces child porn charges in Louisa

A Richmond police officer from Louisa County is on administrative leave and behind bars where he faces dozens of child pornography charges.

David Edward Stone, 51, of Mineral was arrested Wednesday on 50 child pornography charges, according to the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office.

“After a lengthy investigation, investigators seized multiple digital media devices to be examined by the LCSO Forensics Unit,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement released on Friday. “After the items were examined, they were found to contain a large number of files containing images of child sexual exploitation, with several of the images matching those reported in the cyber-tip."

The arrest came after the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force provided information to the Louisa sheriff’s office, authorities said.

The ages of the children involved and their locations were not disclosed.

“Unfortunately, crimes like these happen entirely too much in our society,” Louisa Detective Chuck Love told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “It affects everyone in every profession. No one is immune to it.”

Stone has been with the Richmond police force since 2006.

The city’s police department said it was cooperating with authorities in Louisa.

“After learning of the existence of arrest warrants, members of the Richmond Police Department arrested Stone and later turned him over to deputies of the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office,” Richmond police said in a statement on Friday. “The Richmond Police Department does not tolerate the abuse of children in any form and this officer will be held accountable for his actions.”

Stone is on administrative leave without pay, police said.

A preliminary hearing for Stone is scheduled for Feb. 17 in Louisa County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. He is being held in Central Virginia Regional Jail in Orange.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to call the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office at (540) 967-1234 or Crime Solvers at (800) 346-1466.

Source: www.dailyprogress.com