We told you back in April that a former retired Beavercreek police officer who served as a D.A.R.E Officer with city schools was arrested for possessing child pornography. A lot of court activity was delayed since then due to COVID-19. Now, we can tell you that the officer has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Former Officer Kevin Kovacs was charged with producing, distributing, receiving, transporting, and possessing child pornography. Additionally, law enforcement said he tampered with a witness.
The ten-count indictment laid it all out. Back in March and April of 2015, Kovacs coerced a minor to take part in sexual activity in order to create child pornography.
Direct Contact With Kids
David M. DeVillers, the United States Attorney General for the Southern District of Ohio said Kovacs is also charged with many counts of distributing, receiving, transporting, and possessing child pornography. The activity happened as recently as December of last year.
In June of last year, officials Kovacs he attempted to stop the federal investigation. “Kovacs allegedly intimidated, threatened or corruptly persuaded an individual in hopes of obstructing or impeding communication with federal authorities about this investigation.”
As a D.A.R.E. officer, Kovacs had direct contact with children and they were encouraged to build relationships with him.
Close To Home
As shocking as this case is, it’s certainly not isolated. Just last week, two young employees of the Cell-Tech Express in Wheelersburg helped catch a man with child pornography on his phone.
When the brave employees found disturbing images of a child on Michael Zornes’s phone, the called police and kept him occupied until officers had time to get a search warrant and make it to the store.
Zornes was arrested and charged with 9 counts of child rape. Additionally, he’s held on 18 counts of pandering sexual materials involving a minor. The Scioto County Sheriff’s Office said Zornes had sexual conduct with a little girl for the past three years. He filmed the child while she performed sexual acts.
His case is currently still under investigation. Anyone with information should contact Detective Jodi Conkel at 740-351-1091. All calls will remain anonymous
