A 20-year-old West Virginia man, Garrett Michael Highlander of Morgantown, was arrested on Friday following an investigation into online child exploitation. The West Virginia State Police were alerted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about an individual reportedly boasting about possessing a large collection of child pornography.
Highlander is accused of using usernames such as “MrChildPorn” and “MrToxix” on the messaging platform Discord to share explicit images of minors. According to a criminal complaint, other users reported that Highlander repeatedly sent them direct messages containing such content.
When questioned by state troopers, Highlander stated that his actions were a form of “trolling” and “rage-baiting,” which he found amusing. A subsequent search of his electronic devices led to the recovery of an image depicting a young, prepubescent girl in a compromising position, with visible cuts on her arms and legs.
Highlander has been charged with possession of material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He was booked into the North Central Regional Jail. The West Virginia State Police have not yet responded to requests for comment.