U.S. Marine arrested on child-porn charges

Additional evidence has come out in the case of a Camp Pendleton Marine who used a government computer on base to download and exchange images of child pornography.

Special agent for the Naval Criminal Investigative Services, Brian Benson, applied for a search warrant in federal court to access Facebook records that prove a Marine on Camp Pendleton used an internet-café computer to obtain images of naked young girls.

According to the application for search warrant, agents arrested active duty Marine Billie Joe Morton on August 7.

The arrest happened after another Marine logged onto a computer at the base's Single Marine Program Recreation Center to look for a job. While on the computer there were windows left open by the previous user, Morton. The windows were messages from Facebook Messenger containing images of young children that were nude or in the act of undressing. The Marine who was using the computer identified the profile picture on the screen as Billie Joe Morton and called authorities.

Upon their arrival, investigators began to scroll through the messages. They found Morton first contacted two Facebook users on July 24 asking for "incest pics" and "nudes."

Shortly after, a user identified as KG sent photos of two naked prepubescent girls in a gymnasium.

In the days that followed, Morton requested additional images.

KG agreed, sending dozens of photos and videos of underage girls.

According to the court documents, "Morton further admitted sending approximately five to ten images and conversely receiving approximately ten to fifteen images and three videos of what he believed to be child pornography."

Media personnel at Camp Pendleton did not respond to requests more additional information. It is unknown whether or not Morton is in custody.

UPDATE 12/4 8:05 p.m.

A spokesperson from Camp Pendleton confirmed that Morton has been arrested and is awaiting court martial. Here is his statement: "Lance Corporal Billie Morton, 25, assigned to 11th Marine Regiment, was charged with the following violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: two specifications of possession of child pornography and one specification of distribution of child pornography. The charges have been referred to a general court-martial, and trial dates are pending. LCpl. Morton stands accused of these charges and is presumed innocent until proven guilty."