Essex Man Charged with Distributing Child Porn

A Baltimore County man who counsels teens in the region has been charged with possessing and distributing child pornography, according to the Baltimore County Police Department.

James Patrick Tinker II, 46, of Essex, is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $200,000 bail, police said Friday. He has been charged with two counts of distributing child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, according to court records.

Tinker came onto the police department’s radar after a detective with the county’s Crimes Against Children Unit checked the Internet on July 9 and found that someone was sharing pornographic images of children, according to the report from police.

On July 29, the same source was found to be sharing pornographic images of children, the report said.

Detectives served a search and seizure warrant on the home where the activity was occurring, in the 2300 block of Turkey Point Road in Essex, and recovered several devices containing images of child pornography, according to the report.

Tinker is a licensed social worker who counsels teens at Turning Point Clinic in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel Counseling in Glen Burnie, police said. Officials said there is no evidence that he has had any sexual contact with children.

Tinker is slated to appear for a preliminary hearing on the charges in Baltimore County District Court on Sept. 19.

Photo Credit: Baltimore County Police Department. James Patrick Tinker II is charged with possessing and distributing child pornography.