BEAUMONT — An 18-year-old Groves man has been arrested for possession of child pornography.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrant Division arrested Sean Anthony Hester Jr. on 10 counts of possession of child pornography, all third degree felonies, on Thursday, according to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office.

Acting on a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Criminal Investigators reportedly found Hester in possession of videos and images depicting child pornography. Multiple digital storage devises were confiscated, which were examined by the digital forensics unit of the United States Secret Service. Police said Hester admitted to possessing the child pornography.

A spokesperson with the Sheriff’s Office said the child pornography involved young children.

Criminal investigators with the Sheriff’s Office joined the Texas Office of the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force in September 2018. These task force investigators assume responsibility for those investigations within Jefferson County, allowing the Attorney General’s Child Exploitation Unit to focus their resources elsewhere in Texas where there are no affiliated agencies.

The ICAC Task Force Investigators seek out and arrest predators who use technology and online resources to commit crimes against children including child pornography and online enticement.
Sheriff Zena Stephens encourages parents to talk to their children about the risks associated with internet and social media usage. For more information on cyber safety, please visit: https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/initiatives/cyber-safety/