Davenport man faces 23 charges of child pornography
Tyler Rupe faces 23 felony charges of purchase/possess depiction of a minor in a sex act – first offense, according to Scott County arrest affidavits and Scott County Jail records.
On Sept. 28, 2023, arrest affidavits say Davenport Police detectives were assigned a CyberTip investigation from the Iowa Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which is centered on identifying and prosecuting people who engage in the sexual exploitation of minors through the use of the Internet.
Scott County Court arrest affidavits say that three separate reports (two from Microsoft and one from Kik, which is a messaging app that allows users to send messages, photos, videos, GIFs, and even sketches, and supports group chats,) had been made to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) ranging in date from July 31, 2021-July 25, 2023, regarding child pornography. 'These reports were found to be linked by a shared IP address,' affidavits show.
'Several search warrants were executed on various ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and social media companies as a part of this investigation,' according to arrest affidavits.
Rupe's Dropbox account was seized by law enforcement on or about Oct. 16, 2023, say affidavits, which show 'The account was found to contain 34 videos depicting prepubescent and/or pubescent minor females and/or males in various states of full or partial nudity,'
Rupe's cell phone was seized on Jan. 8, 2024, in Davenport, and was found to contain about 190 images depicting prepubescent and/or pubescent children in various states of full or partial nudity, according to affidavits, which say 'Several of these images depict children as young as approximately 4-7 years old. Five of the images were identified by Project Vic as previously identified CSAM (Child Sex Abuse Material).'
The phone was found to contain about 75 videos depicting pre-pubescent and/or pubescent children in various states of full or partial nudity, show affidavits, which say 'Several of these videos depict children as young as approximately 4-7 years old. Five of the videos depict minor children engaged in sex acts with animals (bestiality).'
After he was read his Miranda Rights, Rupe admitted 'to requesting, receiving and sending child pornography with other users online,' arrest affidavits show, and he 'admitted to having previously viewed child pornography involving a child under the age of 5 years old.'
Rupe was being held on a $75,000 bond Saturday in Scott County Jail.
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