TEXARKANA, Texas–An FBI tip on the last day of 2022 led investigators with the Texas Department of Public Safety to a Texarkana man who allegedly was in the possession of child pornography.
Joseph Anthony Sterle Jr., 54, was arrested by Texarkana, Texas, police Jan. 31, according to jail records. He came to the attention of Texas Department of Public Safety investigators on Dec. 31 via an investigation by the FBI into child pornography on the Torrent network, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The investigation resulted in a search of Sterle’s home in the 2300 block of Cherry Hill Rd. in Texarkana, Texas, on Jan. 31 which had been authorized by 202nd District Judge John Tidwell of Bowie County. A “quick search” of Sterle’s devices allegedly led to the discovery of child pornography.
“After the conclusion of the search of Sterle’s residence, agents had seized multiple hard drives, disks, thumb drives and Sterle’s personal computer,” the affidavit said. “Most of which contain large amounts of pornography.”
Sterle was arrested Friday and released Saturday on a $50,000 bond.
The case has been assigned to 5th District Judge Bill Miller. If convicted of possession of child pornography, Sterle faces two to ten years in a Texas prison.
