Columbia woman accused of sharing child pornography in chat groups
A Columbia woman was charged in federal court Wednesday with child pornography charges.
Brittany Bailey, 29, is accused of knowingly distributing child pornography and conspiring with others to distribute and receive child pornography. Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson signed a warrant for Bailey’s arrest on April 29.
According to court documents, a detective with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. went undercover and became a part of a public group on Kik, a messaging app. While undercover, the detective was added to, and made a moderator, of a group called “Taboo Parents,” documents said.
As of March 27 the “Taboo Parents” had 36 members in the group, including Bailey, according to court documents.
On March 11, Bailey was promoted to be one of several moderators of the group, according to court documents. Documents also said that on March 17, one of the other moderators stated “group is private so you can share immediately…no limits.”
In the “Taboo Parents” group, moderators and users allegedly discussed the sexual abuse of children and encouraged members to post and share. Investigators said several people in the group posted videos and images showing child pornography.
According to documents, Bailey engaged the undercover detective in direct message conversations, and on March 19 allegedly sent a video of child pornography.
Investigators claim Bailey invited the detective to another new private Kik group titled “Kin*kNojudgePRIVATE,” of which she is the administrator. In that group, Bailey allegedly stated on April 12, “let’s not post cp in the group, but you all ca share it together in pm” and “Child porn=cp.”
The FBI served administrative subpoenas on Kik requesting subscriber information and IP activity for user “clynn68.” Investigators determined the Kik account was subscribed to by Bailey, with a physical service address in Columbia, according to documents.
Bailey is scheduled to be back in the federal courthouse in Jefferson City on May 7.
Dylan Young, a 33-year-old man from Spokane, Washington was also charged on Wednesday with the same crimes. Others allegedly involved in the group have also been arrested in Florida and Alabama.
