West Virginia Man Arrested for Allegedly Sharing Child Pornography Online

Garrett Michael Highlander, a 20-year-old resident of Morgantown, West Virginia, was arrested on Friday following a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip indicated that Highlander was allegedly boasting about a large collection of child pornography in online chatrooms. According to a criminal complaint, Highlander used usernames such as 'MrChildPorn' and 'MrToxix' on Discord, where he reportedly shared explicit images of minors. Other users on the platform complained that he persistently sent them these images via direct messages. Highlander allegedly told state troopers that he engaged in this behavior as a form of 'trolling' and 'rage-baiting,' which he claimed he found amusing. Upon searching his devices, law enforcement officers discovered a photo of a young girl in a compromising position. Highlander has been charged with possession of material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and is currently held at North Central Regional Jail. The West Virginia State Police have not yet responded to requests for comment.