69-Year-Old Stillwater Man Arrested For Possessing Child Porn

NewsOn6.com

STILLWATER, OK – A Payne County man has been arrested for possessing child pornography, according to Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Jessica Brown.

Brown said agents served a search warrant Wednesday evening at the Stillwater home of 69-year-old John Phillip Ward.

According to OSBI agents, three members of Ward's family came forward with accusations that they had been molested. The witnesses, both male and female, range in age from 9 to 14 years old. The OSBI said one victim claimed the abuse had been occurring for the past seven years.

Agents found thousands of images of Ward having sexual contact with many children. Investigators say they believe the abuse had been occurring for many years.

Affidavits say the victims were told Ward belonged to a "special club," that he was selling the pictures and videos to a European magazine, and that the victims would be on the front cover and would become famous. The OSBI says many of the children pictured are difficult to identify.

Agents say they found Ward's kiddie porn stash locked away in a safe, along with sex toys and a gun.

OSBI asks anyone who recognizes Ward to contact the OSBI hotline at 800-522-8017 in hopes of identifying other potential victims.

Ward is being held in lieu of $2 million bond. He is due in court next Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.