Alleged Emory Child Porn Professor Arraigned

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Credit: DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office

An associate professor at Emory University appeared in federal court for arraignment following his indictment last week on child pornography charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.

Dr. Kevin Sullivan was arrested on June 15 following an investigation which began in Switzerland with the seizure of a server hosting child pornography. The U.S. Attorney’s office said investigators were able to trace one of the computers logging into the server back to the Wi-Fi at the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health.

Emory University IT staff joined forces with law enforcement and was able to determine that Sullivan was the once accessing the pornography, according to federal prosecutors.

Related: Emory Prof Downloaded Child Porn at Work: Warrant

After securing a search warrant, federal agents visited Sullivan at his office at Emory on June 15. The professor left to go home before agents found any child porn, but they eventually found the images on his personal laptop and external hard drive and went to Sullivan’s house to arrest him, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. Agents allegedly found Sullivan at his home trying to erase his home desktop computer’s hard drive.

“This case demonstrates the need for law enforcement to remain vigilant in the pursuit of people who exploit children. Dr. Sullivan’s life took a turn from helping people through his work in Epidemiology to exploiting children, utilizing the Wi-Fi at Emory University. The GBI’s top priority continues to be working crimes against children, regardless of who the offenders are,” said Vernon Keenan, Director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation in a statement.

Sullivan was indicted on federal charges of receiving and possessing child pornography on Aug. 5 and was arraigned on those charges on Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Sullivan is presumed innocent of the charges laid against him until proven guilty in a court of law.