CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — A man is facing felony child exploitation charges in Contra Costa County after police say his wife discovered he had allegedly been trading child sexual abuse material online and reported him to authorities, according to the East Bay Times.
David Sumait, 26, has been charged with two felony counts involving the alleged possession and control of hundreds of files depicting child sexual abuse.
Sumait's wife contacted police in mid-July after searching his cellphone because she suspected he was being unfaithful.
Instead, she described finding traces from online chatrooms whose users are suspected of exchanging child sexual abuse material, according to testimony reported by the newspaper.
Police testified that conversations recovered during the investigation included instances in which Sumait allegedly sent or received images depicting naked prepubescent children with other users.
Authorities also seized more than a dozen electronic devices and memory cards from the Pittsburg home during the investigation, according to testimony reported by the East Bay Times.
Sumait has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Court records show he remained in custody on $100,000 bail for roughly two weeks before being released without bail following Thursday's hearing. He is scheduled to return to court on Aug. 17.
The criminal case is unfolding alongside a separate legal matter. Court records show Sumait's wife filed for divorce during the same week he was arrested.
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