PG firefighter accused of distributing child pornography from inside firehouse

Prince George's County firefighter accused of distributing child pornography

A firefighter in Prince George's County is behind bars, charged with having and distributing child sexual abuse material – some of the alleged crimes happening inside the firehouse where he worked.

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. - A firefighter in Prince George's County is behind bars, charged with having and distributing child sexual abuse material – some of the alleged crimes happening inside the firehouse where he worked.

What we know:

Joshua Murphy, 35, had his first court appearance on Monday. He’s facing 16 counts of child pornography possession and distribution.

Murphy was arrested by Prince George’s County Police last week. He’s been a PG firefighter since January 2018, working at Station 44 on Riggs Road in Chillum.

Dig deeper:

Charging documents paint an incredibly disturbing picture of what Murphy is accused of in this case.

The victims are all under the age of 16, with the alleged crimes occurring between September and October of this year.

According to court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received an online tip about Murphy after videos and photos of young girls were uploaded to the streaming platform Kik.

"What I can say is these allegations are deeply disturbing. Allegations of this nature are particularly concerning when they involve individuals who hold the public’s trust," said Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Tara Jackson. 

What's next:

After Monday’s hearing, the judge decided to hold Murphy without bond.

The fire department says they’re cooperating fully with the investigation — and that Murphy is currently on administrative leave.