Neil Brown, Child Pornography and Video Voyeurism, Ohio 2025

Columbus, Ohio - A local cell phone store employee has been charged with child pornography and video voyeurism crimes, authorities announced today.

Neil Brown, 41, was arrested by federal agents and charged with possessing, receiving, and distributing child pornography as well as video voyeurism, according to a federal complaint.

Brown allegedly captured nude photos and videos from customers' phones while working at multiple cell phone stores in Columbus, including Cellular Sales.

A cyber tipline received in January 2025 led investigators to search Brown's digital accounts and devices, where they found over 75 images and videos of child pornography.

Brown allegedly paid virtual currency on an app to receive videos of child sexual abuse material.

According to charging documents, Brown would take the phones of female customers and search through them for illicit content, then create videos of the content on his own phone.

To date, investigators have identified three victimized customers.

Brown was initially arrested locally and charged with pandering obscenity involving a minor. The federal charges have superseded the local ones, and the local charges have now been dismissed.

The defendant appeared in federal court today at 2:30pm and his case was unsealed at that time.

Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and other members of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the charges.

Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.

A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/pr/local-cell-phone-stores-employee-charged-federally-child-pornography-video-voyeurism