Craig Barnish, a 43-year-old corrections officer at the Metropolitan Detention Center, has been charged with possession of child pornography in a federal court in New Mexico.
According to a criminal complaint, in January 2021, Barnish allegedly participated in a group chat on the Kik social media app where he commented on two videos depicting a nude child. Later that day, he allegedly uploaded a video depicting child pornography in the same chat.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory assisted in the investigation, which identified Barnish as the user participating in the Kik group chat.
Upon investigation, authorities found that Barnish possessed multiple video files on his cellphone depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation launched in May 2006.
The alleged crime carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Barnish is currently in custody and will remain there pending a detention hearing scheduled for August 27.
Related Federal Cases
- Derek M. Schwartzrock, Child Pornography Possession, New Mexico 2024 · New Mexico
- John Doe, Child Pornography Possession, New Mexico 2022 · New York
- Anthonio Dicentes, Child Pornography Possession, New Mexico 2023 · Maine
- Max Mota Pinho, Child Pornography Possession, Stamford CT, 2024 · North Carolina
- Todd Oravecz, Child Pornography Possession, Kirtland OH, 2023 · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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