Dexter man faces child porn charges

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Dexter, Mo., man has been arrested and charged with possession of child pornography, the Daily Statesman reported. Verl J. Cato, 41, was arrested July 9 by the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department. Cato is accused of possessing pornography that depicts children as young as 4 years old in explicit sexual acts. Cato's bond was originally set at $25,000 cash only, but was amended to $10,000. He posted bond and was released July 10.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Det. Lt. Trevor Pulley of the Dexter Police Department, the investigation of Cato began in November 2011.

The report states that on Nov. 21, 2011, SEMO Cyber Crimes Task Force Det. Scott Phelps started the E-Phex software to automate the browsing and downloading of suspected child pornography files.

The software downloads from a list of IP (Internet protocol) addresses identified by the Internet Crimes Against Children investigators as having recently been suspected of downloaded child pornography.

Phelps had the software set to only include IP addresses that are within the Task Force jurisdiction.

On that same date, a connection was reportedly made with the computer belonging to Cato and a file list was obtained from his shared folder.

The folder contained three files, one of which was identified as child pornography.

Pulley stated in the report that the information was downloaded on multiple occasions between Nov. 21-28, 2011, through a peer-to-peer file sharing program called Frostwire, which is like a "clone of Limewire."

When Det. Phelps connected to the computer for the final time, the file list contained 18 files, seven of which were suspected to be child pornography.

At that point, Pulley sent a subpoena to New Wave Communications to find out who held the IP address. They responded with account information for Verl Cato of Dexter.

On Monday, April 9, Pulley checked the area of 16922 Christian Dr. for any unsecure wireless connections. Cato's connection appeared, but was secured.

At 9:23 a.m. on the morning of April 10, a search warrant was executed on the home. Involved in the execution were the SEMO Cyber Crimes Task Force, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Stoddard County Sheriff's Department and the Dexter Police Department.

Once inside the home, four computers and an external hard drive were seized.

On June 19, Pulley completed his analysis of Cato's personal computer. The others were completed a week earlier and found to be clean.

Cato's computer, after analysis, was found to contain "several videos associated with child pornography."

Pulley stated there were a total of 35 videos of child pornography and numerous videos of children of "questionable age."

On Monday, July 2, Pulley attempted to contact Cato and left him a message. Cato returned his call, but Pulley was out of the office.

Later the same day, Stoddard County Sheriff's Deputy Hank Trout called Cato and arranged an interview for July 3.

Cato never arrived for the interview.