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By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – A 52-year old man was arrested in Columbiana on Monday, Aug. 14 for eight counts of child pornography possession and is currently being held at Shelby County Jail on a bond of $150,000.

Martin Edward Walser Jr. was detained by Columbiana Police outside his home at 12 p.m. He was subsequently charged with eight counts of child pornography possession and one charge of child pornography display.

Alabama state law around the possession of child pornography is especially punitive in regards to videographic materials, as charges are tallied based on how many sexual acts are portrayed in the video by a minor. According to police reports the film in Walser’s possession was a 10 minute and 21 second video of a nude underage girl simulating sexual acts and behaving as if she was on a live broadcast.

Welser allegedly attempted to share this video over the internet, and this was immediately noticed by his internet provider who sent a report to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. ICAC is an organization composed of law-enforcement of many different departments throughout the nation. Columbiana Police Department’s own Investigator John Hall is a member of ICAC and was involved in Welser’s arrest.

“ICAC goes from the FBI down,” Hall said. “You have members all over, and in just about every police force in Alabama.”

Currently there is no court date set for Welser’s trial, but the investigation is still ongoing and information will be released as it becomes available.