Three men facing charges in Cleveland for sex crimes against children

CLEVELAND, Tennessee(WDEF) – Cleveland police have arrested three men in connection to sex crimes involving children.

Mark Harris and Johnathan Linton were arrested in connection to child porn.

Investigators said they traced child porn back to Mark Harris’s IP address.

The investigation into Harris began when Internet Crimes Against Children investigators traced child porn back to his computer IP address in Cleveland. When Cleveland detectives and FBI agents searched his computer, they discovered 30 pictures and videos of child pornography. The material was downloaded through a Peer to Peer Network that allows files to be transferred between two parties. Red flags tipped off law enforcement who were monitoring one of those networks.

“A lot of these child porn videos have been identified and those signatures have been entered into a data base. So we’re able to see the files that have these unique signatures and able to see where they are being downloaded,” said Cleveland Detective Cody Hinson who investigates internet sex crimes.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Harris is a sex offender who was convicted 15 years ago for sexual exploitation of a minor. Cleveland investigators who are handling this latest case against Harris told News 12 that more charges against him are pending.

Cleveland Police have confirmed the FBI is involved in the case because the children who appeared in the videos and pictures that were downloaded by Harris were likely from all over the world.

Cleveland police also arrested Johnathan Linton after he was indicted for aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and providing obscene material to a minor.

“Police were called to the home in reference to some child pornography on a computer,” said Cleveland Police Sgt. Evie West.

Cleveland detectives also arrested Allen Ponte after he was indicted for multiple sexual assaults on children.

“This is not normal. This will not be tolerated. Our investigators work 24/7 to bring these people to the place where they will be charged, and they will be put away for their actions,” West said.