Soldier arrested for possessing more than 7,000 photos, videos of child sex abuse material, officials say
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV/Gray News) - A soldier in Colorado was arrested on child pornography charges last week, according to authorities.
Officials said they received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) earlier this year that an account linked to the Fort Carson soldier had shared child sexual assault material over the internet, according to arrest papers.
Authorities said that the tip led to the discovery of more than 7,000 photos and videos of child sex abuse material on devices seized from the soldier’s home.
Officials said 38-year-old Marquez Parker was arrested Thursday on charges of sexual exploitation of a child related to possession and distribution.
WARNING: The accusations made in and details of the arrest papers discussed below are disturbing. Graphic details have been withheld, but discretion is still advised.
Arrest papers for Parker said a detective with the Fountain Police began looking into the NCMEC cybertip in February.
The tip reported that a video of child sex abuse material (CSAM) had been shared over Facebook Messenger in October 2023 by an account linked to Parker.
Days after the investigation began, a search warrant was granted. However, the detective reported he did not locate the video mentioned in the cybertip, but did find messages matching those reported in the tip.
In March, authorities searched Parker’s home in Fountain. There, police found several electronic devices.
According to arrest papers, the detective presiding over the case reportedly found evidence “that led him to believe that not only was Parker trading, selling and possessing CSAM,” but that he was also producing it.
The detective also reportedly found messages between Parker and an out-of-state woman in which the woman allegedly agreed to let Parker have sex with her 12-year-old daughter in exchange for “various goods and food.” The documents do not name the woman but say she is being investigated by the FBI.
Documents then said Fountain Police and Fort Carson CID began a joint investigation after that search, and Fort Carson took over as the lead investigative agency. As the case progressed, CID reached out for assistance from the Colorado Springs Police Department as the lead law enforcement agency for Colorado’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, along with the FBI.
At a Nov. 7 briefing, a detective with the police department reportedly learned CID had “identified and located more than 7000 images and videos of CSAM” on the devices that were taken from Parker’s home. Arrest documents said some of the videos found on Parker’s cell phone of him and an underage girl.
The arresting detective said forensic investigators were still processing some of the seized devices as of Parker’s arrest last Thursday. These investigators said they told local law enforcement, “they believe there are underage, unidentified victims located within the city of Colorado Springs,” but they are still investigating.
Parker appeared for an advisement in El Paso County court on Friday, where his bond was set at $25,000. He was no longer in custody at the El Paso County Jail.
A Fort Carson official provided a statement confirming Parker’s military status.
“We can confirm Sgt. 1st Class Marquez Parker is a Fort Carson Soldier assigned to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. For more information, please contact Army Criminal Investigation Division at CIDPAO@army.mil,” the statement said.
According to a soldier profile provided by a Fort Carson official, Parker has been in the Army since January 2011.
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