FLAGSTAFF — On May 12, 2015 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Agents contacted Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives regarding the possession and distribution of child pornography by an adult male who lives in the greater Flagstaff area. According to the FBI agents they developed information that caused them to believe that 28 year-old Leroy Behnke of Flagstaff, Arizona was in possession of numerous images depicting young children and infants engaged in various sexual acts. They further believed that Behnke had obtained the images from several online chat rooms and then distributed the images to other online users.

On May 21, 2015 Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives, Deputies and FBI Agents served a search warrant on Behnke’s place of residence while he was at home. During the service of the search warrant Behnke’s laptop computer was seized and he was interviewed by a Sheriff’s Detective and an FBI agent.

During the interview Behnke made statements implicating himself in numerous counts of possessing and exchanging child pornography images online. Behnke was arrested on 10 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Distribution and transported to the Coconino County Detention Facility where he was incarcerated.

This case is one of many cooperative efforts between the FBI and the Sheriff’s office that resulted in the arrest of an outstanding suspect on very serious charges.

Sheriff’s Detectives and FBI agents are continuing this investigation.