Man Arrested for Child Exploitation Offenses

Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Cleveland Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the Northern District of Ohio, announces the arrest of Nicholas B. Bowers, 30 years old.

“Attentive parents and swift law enforcement action has ensured that Mr. Bowers will not be trolling for minors on the Internet,” Anthony said. “This international collaborative law enforcement effort demonstrates that preying on our most precious commodity, our children, will not be tolerated.”

“The Springfield Township Police Department is confident that countless children have been saved from the predatory behavior exhibited by Mr. Bowers. This would have never been possible without the collaborative efforts of the FBI, the Toronto Police Department, and our Detective Bureau,” said Sgt. Eric East, Springfield Township Police Spokesperson.

A federal arrest warrant was issued for Nicholas Bowers on January 27, 2014, based on his receipt of material involving the sexual exploitation of minors by means of using a computer in violation of Title 18, United States Code 2252 (a)(2).

This investigation began in Toronto, Canada, on January 9, 2014. The parent of a minor female contacted the Toronto Police Service regarding sexually explicit chats and e-mail messages his daughter was receiving. It was determined that the individual resided near Akron, Ohio. Chats and e-mail exchanges continued with the Toronto Police Service portraying themselves as the minor female. Toronto Police Service contacted the local authorities in Ohio, more specifically, the Springfield Township Police Department, which has jurisdiction over the area where Bowers resided.

The Springfield Township Police Department and the FBI continued the investigation, resulting in a local search warrant being obtained and executed on January 14, 2014, at the location where Bowers resided. During the execution of this search warrant, USB storage devices and CDs were among the items seized. These specific items were labeled with file names suggesting minor ages and the words “child porn pics.”

Bowers was taken into custody by the Springfield Township Police Department on January 14, 2014, and has remained in local custody until this morning when he was arrested by federal arrests and transported to federal custody in Akron. Bowers is scheduled for his initial appearance this afternoon at 2:30 p.m. in U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen B. Burke’s courtroom.

A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Any questions regarding this news release can be directed to SA Vicki D. Anderson at the Cleveland Office of the FBI, 216-522-1400 or Vicki.anderson@ic.fbi.gov.