State Police Arrest Clarksburg Man On Child Pornography Charges

A Montgomery County man was arrested Tuesday after a Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigation developed evidence supporting charges of distribution and possession of child pornography.

The suspect is Mirantsoa Nirina Rabe, 24, of Clarksburg. He is charged with three counts of distribution of child pornography and five counts of possession of child pornography. Rabe was arrested at his residence without incident and taken to the Maryland State Police Rockville Barrack for processing.

In January 2019, investigators from the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force began an online investigation involving the possession of child pornography. Investigators discovered a person online actively sharing child pornography files. Further investigation led to the identification of the suspect and his residence in Montgomery County.

At about 5:20 am Tuesday, the Maryland State Police, assisted by Homeland Security Investigations, served a search warrant at the identified residence. During the serving of the warrant, a preliminary forensic review of Rabe’s electronic devices revealed the presence of child pornography files. The devices were seized and will be analyzed by the Maryland State Police Digital Forensics Laboratory. Rabe was arrested without incident.

The Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit coordinates the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. This is a combined law enforcement effort involving police departments across Maryland that is made possible in part due to grant funds provided by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention and by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. Task force investigators focus on identifying those involved in child pornography via the Internet and other related crimes that victimize children.

Photo courtesy Maryland State Police.