Owings Mills Man Charged in Child Pornography Case

An Owings Mills man, who was employed as an inspector with Baltimore County, has been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography after detectives found thousands of sexually explicit images of young children on his home computer and other electronic devices, according to the Baltimore County Police Department.

David Michael Gaine, 58, of the 9300 block of Fitzharding Lane, was charged with two counts of child pornography promotion and distribution and one count of child pornography possession, according to court records.

The charges stem from alleged activity between Nov. 14 and Dec. 11, 2013, court records show.

The Baltimore County’s Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating Gaine in November after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, police said.

Detectives found more than 5,000 images and videos of child pornography on Gaine's computers and electronic devices, depicting pubescent and prepubescent boys and girls, including babies and toddlers, police said.

Police said Gaine also participated in chat rooms with others interested in child pornography. 

Gaine, who is an inspector with the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections and has been a Baltimore County employee for 11 years, has been suspended with pay since the investigation began in November, according to police. The county plans to terminate his employment now that he has been charged, officials said.

"The investigation has included an exhaustive examination of whether Gaine downloaded or viewed child pornography using county equipment or on county time," police said in a prepared statement. "Detectives have found no evidence that this occurred."

A warrant was issued for his arrest on Thursday, according to court records.

Gaine turned himself in to the Towson precinct Friday morning, according to police, who said he has since been released on $125,000 bail.