A DeKalb man is behind bars after his partner turned him into authorities for possessing images depicting children in compromising situations.
Benjamin Alexander Halsey, 27, was taken into custody by the DeKalb Police Department on March 13 charged with possession of less than 50 images of child pornography, a second degree felony in Texas.
If convicted, Halsey faces two to 20 years in a state prison, a fine up to $10,000 and a lifetime on the sex offender registry.
Police were notified by Halsey’s live-in boyfriend, Tyler James, that child abuse material was allegedly found on his cell phone. James told authorities he allegedly saw the images while he was conducting a welfare check of Halsey who was passed out in his vehicle outside the couple’s DeKalb apartment because of suspected intoxication.
James told authorities he and Halsey had been arguing and Halsey left the apartment to sit in his car because he had been drinking, according to the probable cause affidavit.
During one of his welfare checks, James said Halsey’s cellphone was continuously ringing with notifications so he retrieved the phone to close out the notification when “he accidentally opened one of the downloads on Halsey’s phone,” the affidavit said.
The downloaded image allegedly depicted a young girl posing in a “suggestive manner with a see-through cloth draped over her” posed in a “position to that of a pinup model,” the affidavit said.
James then allegedly opened the Google Photos app on Halsey’s phone and found about 30 more images that “made him furious and sick to his stomach,” the affidavit said. About 9 p.m. on March 12, James began throwing out Halsey’s belongings from the shared apartment. When questioned by Halsey, James allegedly said he had seen the images on his phone and that he wanted Halsey to leave immediately.
Halsey remained in his vehicle on the premises for several hours before driving off to the Valero in DeKalb. DPD officer Kenny Foster responded to the Valero about 4:45 a.m. where he found Halsey inside his vehicle with a smell of marijuana and alcohol allegedly emitting from Halsey, the affidavit said.
Deputy Corey Caudle, with the Bowie County Sheriff ’s Office, arrived on scene to assist Foster and the pair began a field sobriety check on Halsey. Halsey was detained for public intoxication and the officers began a probable cause search of the vehicle, the affidavit said. During the search, Foster located three cellphones and a bag containing multiple recording devices and cassette tapes inside the vehicle, the affidavit said.
Halsey was taken to the New Boston Police Department where he was held for public intoxication. Upon questioning at the NBPD, Halsey allegedly admitted to having child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his cellphone.
Foster and NBPD Officer Matthew Neese were given verbal and written consent by Halsey to search the phone and, with his assistance, the officers allegedly located up to 50 videos and images of CSAM, the affidavit said.
Halsey is currently in the Bi-State Justice Center jail on $150,000 bond.
