GUILFORD, Conn. — A Guilford resident who worked as a library assistant in North Branford was arrested on Friday and charged with first-degree possession of child pornography, according to the Guilford Police Department.
Lauren Smith, 45, was released on a $100,000 bond and is set to appear in court on Monday, police said.
Guilford police said they received a tip from an out-of-state law enforcement agency regarding a child pornography investigation that was liked to a residence in the town. Guilford police than began their own investigation with help from the Department of Homeland Security.
On July 25, the Guilford Police Detective Unit, partnering with the Department of Homeland Security and North Branford Police Department, executed a search warrant at a residence on Flat Iron Road in Guilford related to their investigation.
Police said the search confirmed that the suspect, Smith, was a Town of North Branford employee, and North Branford was alerted immediately. North Branford officials took action to prevent Smith from returning to the workplace as the investigation continued.
Meanwhile, police say that investigative findings and evidence found during the search gave law enforcement probable cause to acquire an arrest warrant.
According to Guilford Police Chief Christopher Massey, “Cyber investigations of this magnitude are highly complex and require an extensive amount of investigative time, effort and patience.”
Massey added that Guilford police are committed to completing investigations in a timely and thorough manner to keep the town and its surrounding communities safe from criminal activity.
“These complex investigations are supported by exceptional partnerships with other law enforcement and criminal justice organizations at the local, state and federal level,” Massey said. “We are deeply appreciative of the assistance received from the Department of Homeland Security, Town of North Branford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and the Office of the State’s Attorney – Judicial District of New Haven.”
Massey also expressed thanks to the Town of North Branford’s administration for lending its support and taking immediate employment action to protect the public while maintaining the integrity of the investigation while an arrest was still pending.
“Although an arrest has been made, this is still an active investigation, and the integrity of this investigation remains of paramount concern,” Massey added.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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