Texarkana, TX – A registered sex offender accused of possessing child pornography appeared in a Bowie County courtroom Monday.
Adafarasun Mack, 38, appeared with Chad Crowl of the Bowie County Public Defenders Office for a pretrial hearing Monday before 5th District Judge Bill Miller. Crowl told the court Mack’s case will likely need a trial setting, implying he is unwilling to accept a plea offer from the state.
Mack is required to register as a sex offender because of a conviction in 2000 for indecency with a child by exposure which originated in Atlanta, Texas, the Texas Department of Public Safety Sex Offender Registry online shows. Mack is currently on parole from a 10-year sentence for assault on a public servant for which he was convicted Nov. 1, 2006.
Mack was allegedly visiting his parole officer at the Texarkana office June 21. Parolees must often allow officials to search their homes, cars, computers and phones as a condition of their release.
Mack’s officer allegedly went through the photos on his cell phone at the June 21 meeting. The officer contacted police after allegedly finding pictures of young children including a sexually oriented photo of a 5 to 7-year-old boy, according to a probable cause affidavit. In the picture, the child’s underwear were allegedly pulled down while he posed with legs in the air.
When interviewed by Texarkana, Texas, police detectives, Mack allegedly denied any knowledge of the pictures and denied he’d given anyone else access to his device. Mack claimed the phone was sent to him by Texas prison officials.
Miller scheduled Mack to return to court for another pretrial hearing next month. Possession of child pornography is a third-degree felony in Texas. However, because of his prior criminal history, prosecutors are able to increase the punishment range to that of a second-degree felony, two to 20 years in prison.
Mack is currently in Bowie County custody.