Child pornography investigation leads to drug charges
State police traced child pornography to a home in Claysville, and discovered drugs and firearms when they served a search warrant Thursday.
Kody Ryan Ray, 26, and Shawn Patrick Ray, 56, both of 24 School St., were both arrested. Kody Ray faces charges of child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility, while Shawn Ray faces charges of possession with intent to deliver, possession of a small amount of marijuana for personal use and possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 14, image-sharing website Imgur reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that 10 images of child pornography had been uploaded from the same IP address.
One of the images showed a nude girl between the ages of 3 and 7, according to the complaint. Police traced the IP address to the home of Kody and Shawn Ray.
When police served the search warrant about 10 a.m. Thursday, they found a computer in Kody Ray’s bedroom that had 10 images of child pornography, according to the complaint.
While there, police could smell marijuana and obtained a separate search warrant. Police found five marijuana plants and multiple firearms, including an AR-15 and an AR-10, according to the complaint.
Shawn Ray told police he was growing marijuana because a family member has a medical marijuana card, and he believed he was permitted to do so.
District Judge James Saieva Jr. sent both to Washington County jail, setting Kody Ray’s bond at $50,000, and Shawn Ray’s at $25,000.