Justin Lawrence ELY, a 20-year-old from Boulder, has been arrested after an investigation led by the Colorado Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, on allegations of sexual exploitation of a child, according to a recent Boulder County press release. ELY is charged with 10 counts related to the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
The case against ELY began swiftly after the Colorado Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a tip-off from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children concerning the distribution of child sexual abuse material. Investigators, while based in the Boulder County area, discovered that ELY had enlisted in the U.S. Navy and relocated for training at a naval base in Connecticut. The Colorado task force, keenly coordinating with the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service and an ICAC investigator from Homeland Security Investigations in Connecticut, managed to apprehend ELY on base and secured his cell phone through a search warrant.
Forensic analysis of the cell phone by the Boulder County Digital Forensics Lab confirmed the presence of illicit material, corroborating both possession and dissemination charges. The inter-agency collaboration, including the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, the Longmont Department of Public Safety, the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office, and other important contributors, underscores the commitment towards eradicating child exploitation. After being taken into custody on May 31 by the Town of Groton Police Department, ELY was released from Connecticut detention and subsequently surrendered himself back in Boulder on June 7, according to Boulder County Sheriff's Office.
Following his court appearance, ELY was released on a $15,000 bond. The breakdown of the charges includes five counts of sexual exploitation of a child for alleged distribution, deemed a Class 3 Extraordinary Risk Felony, and five counts of possession, classified as a Class 4 Extraordinary Risk Felony. Although arrested, ELY maintains the presumption of innocence, a bedrock principle of the American justice system, until proven otherwise.
