Midland City man charged with distribution of child porn

Authorities say an ongoing investigation into the reported burglary of a Midland City man’s home has led to his arrest on distribution of child pornography charges.

Midland City Police Investigator John Greene arrested 32-year-old Mark Allen Carpenter early Friday morning outside his Midtown apartment on Midtown Avenue in Midland City. Carpenter was charged with possession with intent to distribute child pornography and taken to the Dale County Jail where he was being held on a $30,000 bond.

Greene said the investigation started after police responded to a reported burglary at Carpenter’s apartment in December 2007, during which he reported a computer stolen. Houston County Sheriff’s investigators found the computer at an area pawn shop. Greene said investigators arrested Roy Lomax Gardner, of Newton, in April 2008, and charged him with felony second-degree receiving stolen property.

That computer, along with at least one other, was seized from Carpenter’s home in May 2008 by police and turned over to the Alabama Bureau of Investigation. Greene said police found at least 26 pornographic items on the computers, including videos, images and child pornographic cartoons.

“We recovered with his permission last night, other inappropriate sexual stuff,” Greene said.