An ISU freshman was arrested Monday and charged with four aggravated misdemeanor counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Nicholas Lahr, freshman in pre-computer science from Monticello, surrendered to ISU Police Monday afternoon and was transported to the Story County Jail.

ISU Police Capt. Gene Deisinger said the charges were filed after police discovered three still images and one digital movie containing minors engaging in sexually explicit activity on computer equipment seized from Lahr’s residence hall room, 4255 Welch Hall.

Police obtained a search warrant March 13 after a March 12 routine query of the ISU network produced a file folder officers suspected may contain child pornographic related material, Deisinger said. Further investigation linked the file folder to Lahr.

Deisinger said the images found on Lahr’s computer depicted females in their mid to late teens.

Lahr is the fourth student to be arrested on child pornography related charges this academic year. Buckley Necker, senior in agricultural education, and Jeremy Leo, freshman in meteorology, were arrested Oct. 23 in connection with unrelated child pornography charges. Gregory Hudgens, freshman in pre-computer science, was arrested Dec. 6 and charged with eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Former men’s basketball assistant coach Randy Brown pleaded not guilty in federal court March 24 to one count of receipt and one count of possession of images containing minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. All charges were related to the possession of digital images of minors engaging in sexual activities.

Deisinger said he believed there are several reasons for the increase in child pornography-related arrests.

“I do not think it is because there is any more of this type of activity at Iowa State,” Deisinger said.

He said new computer software and hardware implemented by the department last year is one reason for the increase in child pornography related arrests.

He said he also thinks there has been an increase in the training and expertise of ISU Police officers relating to child pornography investigations.

With the new computer equipment and expertise of officers, the ISU Police department is now able to conduct all parts of a computer-based child pornography investigation, Deisinger said.

“There are not a lot of police agencies that have that capability in-house,” he said.

Deisinger and another ISU Police officer are also members of the Iowa Sex Crime Investigators Association, a group of law enforcement officers who are involved in investigating sex crimes or have an interest in investigating them.

He said involvement in this group has given him the opportunity to apply what he has learned in a field setting.

Lahr is currently being held at the Story County Jail in Nevada on $30,000 bond.

If found guilty on all counts he could face up to eight years in jail and a fine ranging from $2,000 to $20,000, according to the Iowa Code.