FORT SMITH -- Two brothers from Alma were being held on federal child-pornography charges in a case that grew out of an investigation in Switzerland.
U.S. District Court records show that Brett and Adam Karr were arrested last week after a child-pornography investigation in Zurich revealed an Internet address that led to their home. Federal agents discovered video and still images of child pornography on their computers and on CDs and DVDs in their possession.
Brett Karr is charged in a magistrate judge's complaint with production of child pornography. Adam Karr is charged with possession of child pornography.
The two men had initial appearances this week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Ford, who ordered both men held in custody pending their trials.
Affidavits attached to the complaints said Zurich police arrested a man last October who was operating a member-restricted picture gallery site. About 20 percent of the pictures on the site were child pornography, an affidavit said.
Analyzing the site, the police found several Internet addresses that originated in America. A Department of Homeland Security task force traced one of the addresses in January to the Karrs' home. Task force members executed a search warrant at the Alma home Aug. 6, according to the affidavit.
Among the thousands of images and videos in the brothers' possession, the affidavit said, federal agents found several videos in which Brett Karr is shown exposing the genitals of a girl. The affidavit said she was the daughter of a person he knew.
The investigators also found in Adam Karr's possession 14 videos he filmed of a young girl performing acts of a sexual nature, the affidavit said.
On Wednesday, Ford granted a motion by Brett Karr's attorney that he undergo a mental evaluation to determine his competency to stand trial.
The motion, filed by federal public defender James Pierce, said there was cause to believe Brett Karr suffered from a mental disease or defect that made him unable to understand the proceedings against him or to assist Pierce in preparing his case for trial.
In his order, Ford wrote he was told Brett Karr had a long history of mental health issues and had been evaluated previously by several mental health professionals who could not agree on a diagnosis or medication regimen.
NW News on 08/15/2015