A former Ocean City, Maryland police officer and another man were charged on Monday with a combined 55 counts of possessing child pornography.
Maryland State Police arrested Charles Thomas Zukas, 60, and Jodie Veter Orr, 25, both of Berlin, Maryland. Both Zukas and Orr surrendered themselves to State Police on Monday morning, and they were held pending an appearance before a Worcester County District Court Commissioner.
Zukas, police said, was charged with 20 counts of possession of child pornography and Orr was charged with 33 counts of possession of child pornography.
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The Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division Eastern Region started an investigation into child pornography possession in March 2022, and on March 16, troopers served a search warrant at the Berlin home of the suspects.
Electronic devices were confiscated as part of the search, and according to State Police, a preliminary forensic review found the devices contained multiple files of child pornography.
The investigation into the matter is ongoing.
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On Monday morning, Ocean City Police issued a statement on the arrest of Zukas, who is a former police officer with the department.
"The Ocean City Police Department has been informed that former officer Charles Zukas, 60, has been arrested and charged with Possession of Child Pornography," the statement read. "The Maryland State Police is handling this investigation. The Ocean City Police Department takes this matter seriously and will assist Maryland State Police as needed."
The department added that Zukas was employed with the department from September 1994 until he retired in June 2014.
After his retirement, Zukas served as a reserve police officer with the department until March 2022.
