The manager of a downtown San Diego affordable housing complex for seniors was arrested on more than 60 counts of child pornography possession after investigators say they found illicit images and videos on his work computer.
Roy Brown, manager of the Luther Tower Apartments, was taken into custody Monday and pleaded not guilty to all charges against him in federal court Tuesday.
Details of the investigation into Brown were revealed in a federal warrant unsealed Thursday.
According to the warrant, Brown had been receiving child pornography for the past year, at times using an email address associated with the Luther Tower Apartments to receive these images.
The San Diego Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cyber Crimes group had been working undercover on an online network called ARES, identifying people who may be trafficking child pornography through peer-to-peer software, the warrant states.
Through an IP address, agents were able to connect Brown to one of the computers from which they downloaded child pornography images and videos.
According to the warrant, on March 13, HSI Special Agents conducted an interview with Brown where he admitted to having the images on his computer. He told investigators he did not believe it was illegal to view these kinds of images.
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During the interview, Brown told investigators he believed it appeared that the children’s involvement was not forced and that the children were the ones instigating it, according to the court document. Brown also stated that the images came from overseas and that it may be legal in those countries.
Agents seized Brown's laptop, and after obtaining a search warrant, they found 19 photos and 63 videos of child pornography in the computer's files.
Brown is scheduled for a detention hearing in federal court Friday morning.
Luther Tower Apartments, located on Second Avenue, is owned by First Lutheran Development Inc., according to the San Diego County Assessor’s office. It is managed by Royal Property Management.
Royal Property Management did not respond to NBC 7 Investigates, but residents at Luther Tower received letters on their door that said “These allegations have come as a complete shock to our staff” and “we have hired a new seasoned employee” to replace Brown.
Another property run by Royal Property Management, the Hotel Sandford, was the subject of an NBC 7 Investigates story about its former manager, who is being investigated on possible charges of embezzlement.
Royal Property Management’s website lists Brown as the main point of contact for the Luther Tower apartments.
Calls for comment to First Lutheran Development Inc. were not returned.
