Cleveland police officer charged with child pornography crimes

A Parma man was indicted recently for child pornography crimes. Brandon N. Crites, 32, of Parma, was indicted on one count each of receipt and distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

Crites, between 2022 and 2023, allegedly received and distributed numerous images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and possessed a laptop and hard drives that contained child pornography in September 2023, according to the indictment.

At the time of the offenses, Crites was employed as a patrolman with the Cleveland Police Department.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer King following an investigation by the FBI.

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